


Miraculous Paris

by fairysoul9899



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Action, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Humor, I started writing this before the 1st season had ended, Identity Reveal, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2020-10-06 00:43:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 36,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20498063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairysoul9899/pseuds/fairysoul9899
Summary: 1 Adrien knows who she is. 2 Hawkmoth knows who he is. 3 Félix is just trying his best.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> OK so this story is cross posted on ff.net. I am currently rewriting it and will be updating both this one and the one on ff.net together. If you want to get ahead of the story feel free to go over to the other one, but just a warning for those that do, IT IS NOT COMPLETED YET and there are a lot of mistakes all over the place. I am planing on completing both on the same or around the same day.  
thank you this has been a PSA.

"Marinette! You need to get up! You'll be late for school!" Sabine yelled from the kitchen.

She shot up out of bed and rushed to her closet, finding her favourite pair of pink skinny jeans that she rolls up and a white tee with a pink floral pattern over the right side with a dark gray light jacket.

“Marinette you should’ve been up 30 miniuts ago!” Her mom yelled.

"OK ONE SEC!" She screamed in a slight panic before rushing to her mirror and quickly put her hair into tight pigtails.

She gives herself a quick look over, nodes, grabs her purse (with Tikki) and rushes down the stairs "Bye, mom love you." She adds running to the door.

"Love yo-" the door slammed.

She rushed in the door to be greeted with, "Well someone was cutting it close weren't they," Alya said with a small laugh looking at her best friend as the late bell rang.

She walked to her seat and gave Alya a slight glare until she noticed a certain blond actual model, then, of course, she turned into a blushing mess.

Marinette sits down and opens her sketchbook looking at her unfinished design.

"I am drawing a blank on this dress, it needs something, not a belt, maybe a hat? No. Help."

"Why would you ask me you're the designer, I'm still learning the basics of drawing a stick figure." but she takes her book and says," Hey Adrien,"

_ Oh my God no please no there is a reason I asked you no. _

"-what do you think this needs? It seems too plain?"

He turns around in his chair and places his arm on the back of it.

"Have you tried a different neckline or maybe a change in the fabric color at the bottom of the skirt." He said looking at Alya

"I don't know. Have you Marinette?" She said causing both to look.

"I-I-I h-have to have t-the weird n-neckline that part of the c-challenge, but I l-like the d-different bottom." She stuttered as he gave her book back with a smile.

"You are really talented can I ask what the theme is for this?"

"Oh um,"_ Come on, this is a conversation you have defeated villains countless times why can't you just talk to him _." I-it had to be based a-around a low cut line b-but still n-needed to classy look- I mean l-look classy and-"

"Alright kids quite down open your books to page 145 and copy the vocabulary."

Ok you made progress you talked you talked to Adrien. You. Talked. To. Adrien Agreste. Breath.

"Oh and class I have to have more grades so by a show of hands your choices are either a 300 point project with a partner of my choosing, or more tests."

It was a unanimous decision everyone would rather do a project then a test.

"Alright I'll have the assignment by tomorrow and Chloe would you mind at least pretending you are doing your work instead of looking at your reflection."

"I am doing my work Miss." She said rolling her eyes

"Then please explain how you can copy vocab when your book is closed." The teacher said crossing her arms

"I have to maintain myself. You just don't know how hard it is to be this beautiful." Her voice had a snotty attitude.

_ Did she just call our teacher ugly? _

"I don't like your attitude young lady. Come with me. Outside in the hall."

She rolled her eyes and tucked her compact into her purse and followed her out the door.

"How can you stand her dude?" asked Nino.

"That is a good question. I think since we've known each other so long I kind of just got used to it."

"That's not something that you should be used to." His voice was serious.

He was right Adrien shouldn't be ok with Chloe acting that way to people, true she never acted like that with him, but there's a lot he shouldn't be used to, only seeing his dad at modeling events or his assistant knowing more about him than his dad, with neither of them caring for him the way they should.

The next thing they heard was a scream but not from the hall. The whole class jumped to the window to see a huge storm cloud and a girl flying.

Stormy Weather about to hurl a gigantic ice block at the school. They ran to the door everyone in a panic.

Marionette slipped away to a janitor's closet "Tikki spots on!"

Chat Noir was on the scene when she came swinging from her magical yo-yo.

"Long time no see, My Lady." He smirked and winked.

"Is it possible for you not to flirt with me when we're up against a villain."

"I would love that but I can't if you never tell me who you are."

"Or here's a thought, you could just not flirt."

"Harsh words My Lady." He acted hurt with a hand over his heart as a gust of wind threw them to the wall. Her landing on top of him. "Well this is a nice view." He smirked and she groaned standing up to a fighting stance.

"How is it possible to face the same villain if you purified the akuma?" Chat said coping her.

"I don't know maybe some weather person hurt her, or Hawkmoth is running out of villain ideas but I don't this it's the umbrella this time."

"Why would you say that?" Ladybug gestured to the girl "Oh." She didn't have an umbrella.

"Hawkmoth will win in the end no one can stop him not even the great Ladybug and her pet!" Stormy Weather laughed and made it hail with high winds

Ladybug grabbed him and pulled him under the spinning yo-yo.

"Déjà vu."

"Chat you see that pillar over there?" He nodded "I need you to destroy it."

He ran over as she was still swinging her yo-yo.

"Cataclysm!" The pillar fell and Stormy Weather dodged but got lassoed and was brought down.

Ladybug looked her over and saw a bracelet. _ Well it’s the only accessory I can see. _ She broke it and purified the akuma that flew out.

She turned to her partner and they did the traditional fist bump, but right as she was about to turn away he gently grabbed her hand.

"My Lady before I change would you meet me somewhere I need to tell you something." He spoke very softly almost a whisper.

She smiled and gave a light giggle,"If it has anything to do with confessing your love to me I think I'll skip." She joked

"No.” he sighed, “just meet me at the Eiffel Tower tonight."

"Chat-"

"Is it really too much to ask to spend time with you, My Lady." His eyes were pleading

She thought for a bit and his ring beeped," Fine, but we need to patrol."

"Of course that would be purrfect." Then he ran.


	2. Chapter 2

Adrien was sitting in his room looking at the Ladybug blog with Plagg over his shoulder eating cheese.

"Plagg do you think I'll ever know who she is?" He asked staring at Ladybug," She looks so familiar but I can't place her."

"They always found out each other's identity, but I was never one for the whole romance stuff between Ladybug and Chat, cheese is my one great love." Plagg said as he ate some more Camembert.

"Wait," Adrien turned to the little Kwami, "Did they always fall for each other?"

The black creature thought, "I think there was one time where they didn't, but that was because they didn't last that long, well he didn't." Plagg started to rub the back of his neck.

"What happened to him?" He sounded slightly horrified.

"Well, let's just say I learned my lesson, don't pick a guy just cause they make cheese, not very athletic...and I may or may not be the reason why we don't pick our holders anymore.." He was shaking his head then they heard footsteps coming toward the door.

Adrien grabbed his friend and shoved him into his jacket pocket as the door opened. Nathalie walked through the door.

"Adrien were you talking to someone? I thought I heard voices." She said looking around the room.

"No, that was just video on the blog." He pointed to his computer._ Nice save._

She nodded and looked at her clipboard. "Alright, and we need to go over your schedule once more. At five you have an evening shoot then a quick dinner break, at eight you have another event but on the runway, and finally at ten you have a conference meeting with your father and a major clothing company in America."

"What time would the conference end, I was hoping to see a friend." He said hopefully.

"That depends but you'll have school tomorrow so you can see them then, plus the earliest you could get home is eleven and you still have homework so no." She said sternly.

"Very well." He would try sneaking out but when she sounded like that it meant ,' If I come up here and you're not here you won't do anything but model.' and he doesn't want that.

She walked out of the room and Plagg popped out. "Well I guess we can't see Ladybug."

"Plagg can you get my staph, I'm going to call her."

* * *

"Tikki do I really have to meet him tonight, I have homework, and I still need to finish this dress."

"You said you would see him if you don't you would be breaking a promise." She said sweetly.

_Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz_

"Quick Tikki, spots on." She transformed and answered.

"Yeah Chat?"

"What no hello?"

"You're the only one that can call me. What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing, it's just can I get a rain check for tonight? Secret Mission." That has turned into code for, 'I have to something in real life that I can't get out of,' only to be used if necessary.

"Oh thank God, no offence but I have a lot to do tonight."

"Alright, then tomorrow?" She could hear his smirk.

"Fine, now if you'll excuse me I have to finish this essay bye Chat." and she hung up. Tikki was floating by her ear and heard the whole thing, "You got lucky."

"Well I _am_ a Ladybug." She smiled and turned to the mountain of homework.

* * *

"Welcome back everyone hope everyone got enough sleep with that fiasco yesterday. Oh, and I have your project ready." She was smiling and really chipper.

The class groaned.

"Ok enough moping time for partners, first Chloe you'll be with Nino." He banged his head on the desk as she made a sound of annoyance," Remember I choose the partners and you don't get a test, now next is Alya and Sabrina, then it will be Marinette and Adrien."

Her mind went blank after that. _What no wait how but? Breath._

The teacher went on pairing everyone else then drew a subject from a hat, "Ok group 1 is the history of music, group 2 is fashion around the world, and 3 is, oh, I forgot I put this one in, Chat Noir and Ladybug. Sorry I was running out of ideas."

_Really how am I suppose to do that and still keep my identity_ safe.

"Lucky." Alya glared at her, "I have an entire blog dedicated to them but no I'm the one with fashion and you get the superheroes of Paris, not fair." She whispered yelled.

"Quiet down please Alya, now your assignments must have an essay no less than a 1000 words and a slide show to present to the class. Now please pair up with your partners everything will be due in three weeks." She walked to her desk while everyone moved.

Adrien moved to Alya's seat, "Hey looks like we're partners."

"Y-yeah."_ You can do this he is just a person, a really cut person that you have a mega crush on, OK THAT'S NOT HELPING._

"Do you have any idea how we could do this? I mean without offending them in some way."

"Um I-I was t-thinking l-looking at the L-Ladyb-bug blog f-for the pictures, a-and see i-if anyone has interviewed t-t-them." She felt her face heat up.

"Good thinking do you want to meet up sometime, like tomorrow in the library?"

"S-sure!" that came out a little too fast.

"Ok see-" The bell cut him off.

Alya came rushing over wanting every single detail she could get, but all she got was a, "I'm seeing him tomorrow," with a dazed look.

* * *

Later that night Chat waited on top of the tower looking for his partner, then a yo-yo bonked his head and he turned around to see his Lady.

"Hello My Lady." He got up and bowed with a smirk.

"Hey Chat, so what did you want to tell me yesterday?" She said

He straightened up and felt his cheeks burn, "Well I just thought that we've known each other for a while now and we barely know one another." The last bit came out a bit rushed and more shy than intended.

She was taken back by this he suddenly sounded vulnerable and this new Chat she wasn't used to.


	3. Chapter 3

Chat walked to her and gently grabbed her arm and guided her to sit on the ledge of the tower with him. "I know it's weird to ask you to meet me here, but it just _bugs_ me that I don't know you that well."

She was swinging her feet off the ledge,and somehow didn't catch the pun. "Chat you know me very well, you're my best friend." It was a fact that they did know each other and very obvious that they would die for each other as well, but that's different.

"No, I mean, like I don't know the small things, like your favorite color, or class, or really anything about your real life. You are actually my favorite person in the world, so just I don't know." He felt himself getting lost and starting to ramble.

"Chat you know I won't tell you my civilian self."

"I'm not asking for that. I understand, really I do, you want to protect your family and friends."

Ladybug thought for a moment._ What's the harm? Oh, he could piece together who I was, wait he would have to know _me_ to do that, and I would definitely know if I knew him._ "Alright fine. But if I think something is too personal then I don't have to answer, oh and I can ask the same question."

Every ounce of his body was screaming with excitement, but he kept his cool. "Sounds like a deal. What do you like to do?"

"I like to design. Favorite class?"

He smiled at her response,"Physics, what do you design?" 

"Clothes mainly, I had to do a hat once, but that was a while ago." She looked across the skyline of Paris just keeping her guard up.

"What was that hat like?"

"It was a derby hat, poor guy he has the same allergy as you."

_ ...I wore a derby hat...with feathers..._

He shook away the thought, "Huh, interesting, what about your favorite color?" He was grinning.

"Pink. You?" She turned to look at him seeing him trying to look away and hiding a blush. Trying.

"I'm not sure I have one. Way too many to choose from....D-do you like someone else?" He knows that it's too personal, but he just has to know.

"Chat...That a bit over the line." She sighed and looked over the city.

"I know but I just wanted to ask, I don't need to know their name, just tell me about them, they must be really lucky." He was looking back at her again but saw the confliction on her face.

"This is going against the deal, but fine." She was gathering her thoughts._ Why am I doing this_, "If you must know, he is very sweet and about a close to perfect as anyone could get."

"Alright, but what about _him_. What makes you drawn to him?"

"I think it's because of his kindness I guess. I don't know that much of him, just what he lets people see."

"Then how do you know you like them if you don't know them?"

"I just do, ever since he helped me in the rain I couldn't help but feel drawn to them. It's kind of interesting after I met you he started to go to my school. Oh crap. I still have to work on that project. ugh." She said changing the subject.

"What project?" Chat said as she stood up.

"I have this thing I have to research, write a 1000 word essay on and a slideshow, all due in three weeks, but then to make it all better I get to work with a partner that I can't even say three words to without stuttering." She ranted and started to pace around what little area she could.

"Hey it's fine you said it's not due for another three weeks you have plenty of time." His voice was calming as he ushered her to sit back down.

She sat. "You're right I have time, I think I'm just stressed out because of my partner."

"Let me guess, your crush." She nodded._ I wonder..._

"You're Ladybug you should tell him how you feel." It is almost like stabbing yourself in the heart then twisting it when you tell the person you love to tell who they like that they like them.

"It's not that easy, maybe I will one day, but I doubt I will soon. Everything is easier with a mask wouldn't you say?"

"Truer words have never been spoken. Let's take this back to the questions. What's your family like?"

"Well I already told you about my crush, they're very kind. My Dad's huge but is really a big teddy bear, don't get me wrong when he wants to he can be intimidating, but my Mom is really the one to be scared of, if someone ever hurt me she would probably kill them with her mom stare." She giggled. "But I wouldn't ask for different parents, they're the best. What about your family?" She turned her head to meet his green cat eyes.

"Well, my mother died." She was about to say something but he cut her off, "It was a long time ago, I'm fine, but my dad, he buried himself in his work. I honestly think his secretary knows more about me then he does."

"Chat that's horrible."

"Please don't pity me I'm tired of people doing that."

"Ok then I won't pity you; what do you do when you're not Chat?"

"School, piano, Chinese and fencing." _Don't say modeling. Way to big of a hint._

"You know Chinese?"

"Shì. Zhe shi jie shang, wo shi zui ai ni de."

She blushed. "Your accent could use a little work. Are you sure you know what you said?"

He grinned again, "Yes I said 'yes. In this world, I love you the most."

She shook her head and went back to looking at the view.

"Alright My Lady, if you don't mind me asking what is that school project on? Could I be of some assistance?"

She giggled again, "It's a bit ironic but I have to do the paper on myself and you."

_Click. It's her, but I won't tell her I know yet. I'll tell her when she figures out I'm- Oh wait DOES THAT MEAN SHE HAS A CRUSH ON ME!_ His head was screaming.

"Chat you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine just remembered a thing." He said rubbing the back of his neck, "But we should get going, it's getting late."

"But we still need to-." He ran and scaled down the Eiffel Tower.

* * *

"Plagg can you believe it, she's Marinette. How could I have been so blind. She has literally been right in front of me. I've been comparing the two for so long and THEY ARE THE SAME! I don't know what to do with myself. How do I let her know I'm Chat without letting her know I know."

"Shh you kept me awake and away from cheese long enough. You can fanboy over this in the morning."

"But it's-"

"Good night." Plagg was very annoyed, but Adrien was in the clouds.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning Adrien was pacing in his bedroom. He was practically ready to leave for school, but in truth he was a little nervous about seeing Marinette.

"Plagg really can you take your mind off cheese for one second and help me figure out what to say to her?"

"What you are asking is like asking me to no longer breath, and it's not that big of a deal right now." He floated over to him.

"Of course it's a big deal, I love her." Even though he practically told her last night she always saw it as a joke or he says that to every girl.

_Yes, because I say 'I love you' to every girl in Chinese. Really._

Adrien was close to the point of pulling his hair out, so he sat down in front of his computer and leaned back with his head towards the ceiling.

"If she's so important to you then why don't you try to get her to know you more." Plagg was getting tired of this, it's been close to the same story for over 5000 years now, but with some with a not so much of a happy ending, more of just _ending_.

"But she does know me. She knows the real me. She knows Chat-" Adrien was cut off by the black Kwami.

"But she doesn't know Adrien. She only knows what everyone else knows. She even said that last night!" The little Plagg wanted to yell so badly, but fear of Nathalie walking on the conversation and then not only outing Adrien, but Marionette as well, won over.

Rolling his eyes Adrien glanced at the clock. 7:45 "Crap I'm going to be late!" He shoved Plagg in his pocket grabbed his bag and ran to the limo.

* * *

Marinette was sitting alone at her desk, because the teacher made everyone sit with their partners, so Alya was across the room. The bell rang as a boy with blonde hair burst through the door earning a scold from Miss Bustier. He waved apologetically at her and sat next to Marinette.

"Hey sorry I was a bit late." he smiled as he placed his bag down.

"N-No p-problem. I-I found s-some pictures f-from the blog." She opened her notebook and showed him._ You're making progress, your stuttering problem has gotten better._

He leaned closer to her with the excuse to look at the pics, but in reality it was just to be closer. "When did that one happen?" The picture was of Chat trying to use Cataclysm on Ladybug with her ducking expertly.

She shifted slightly away from him,_ too close_, "Oh uh, well, it w-was when D-Dark Cupid hit him." _Was he_ _out__ of town or something? I could have sworn he was in here though._

"What? I don't remember any of that, guess I must have been doing a shoot." His face paled as he said calmly, but on the inside,_ WHAT THE HELL I COULD HAVE KILLED HER I REMEMBER GETTING SHOT AND HER VAGUELY MENTIONING A KISS, BUT FUCKING CATACLYSM!_

"Are you okay? Y-you don't look so good."

"What, no I'm fine. I'm just in shock that Chat would even do that, even if he was possessed."_ How gone was I?_

"What would make you say that; he didn't have any control over himself." _Wait a minute I didn't stutter. What?_

Adrien leaned back and gathered his rushing thoughts. "Well, I mean, he loves her doesn't he?"

_Why everyone so obsessed with me and Chat UGH. play it cool._

"I wouldn't know. But, to me, he seems like the type who just likes to flirt, don't get me wrong, I am very thankful that he helped me when Nathanaël was possessed and I'm sure Ladybug wouldn't be the same without him, but he just seems like a flirt."

"Hmm, what if he just flirts with her? Like I'm positive everything must be easier in a mask right?" He managed to sound innocent enough to seem like he didn't just quote her.

"Maybe, but let's get back to the project." _That sounded way too familiar._

He nodded and went through the rest of the pictures and decided to have five in the slideshow. "Okay we narrowed it down to the Cataclysm one, Chat and Ladybug on a rooftop, her hitting Chat with her yo-yo, him pulling up her and Mr. Mime up while on a moving bus, and lastly Ladybug purifying the Akuma. So now we need to figure out what to write in the essay."

"Yeah we-"

"Alright kids start to gather your things. The bell's going to ring soon."

_RIIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGG_

"Are we still going to the library after school?" Adrien asked as he grabbed his bag.

"Y-yeah sure." She was starting towards the door.

"Alright it's a date. Oh and here just incase." He had given her his phone number while he passed her and was trying not to laugh when she froze and Alya was grabbing her arm.

* * *

All that occupied his mind was her. Now that he saw all of the similarities, he was wondering how he hadn't noticed before. Her hair, her voice, but that he didn't know from her eyes alone was a sad thought to him.

"DUDE!"

"Huh?" Adrien turned to Nino.

"I have said your name five times what is up with you?!" Nino had crossed his arms

"Nothing I guess I just got lost in thought, but what did you need." _Please don't ask what I was thinking about, for the love of GOD, don't ask._

"I need your help, can you please get Chloe to do something? I don't care if she gives me an article about Justin Bieber. I need her to do SOMETHING!"

"Justin Bieber. Really?"

"I'm desperate man." He hung his head and looked at the ground. "You both have next hour together, right?" Adrien nodded, "Then please help me, I'm begging."

"Sure, I'll see what I can do." The bell rang and they walked away in opposite directions.

* * *

The next class was math, sadly for Adrien there was a sub. Chloe saw this as an opportunity to flirt with him, so she sat next to him.

"Hey Adrien, it's okay for me to sit here right?" She didn't wait for an answer, "Good."

"Alright kids settle down the roll is being passed around be sure to sign your name, as for what your teacher, they didn't leave anything that I know of so just keep your voices down." He was an older man sounded like a coach of some sorts, and definitely looked the part.

"Hey Chloe you know that project for Miss Bustier?"

"Yeah." She had gotten out a nail filer and started to 'fix' her nails.

"Are you helping Nino any, like are you two sharing the work evenly?" He knew the answer but still, being the gentleman he is, he had to ask.

"Hmph, it's not like us to help the common folk, they are to help us."

"Chloe do you hear yourself?" _Oh my God she is really horrible._

"Are you really helping that freak with the project?"

_OK THAT'S IT_ "Marinette is not a freak, she is one of the most amazing people I know, and Chloe you need to grow up and get over yourself. You can't expect everything in your life to be handed to you on a silver platter. I get I'm upsetting you but please think of what you have done, you alone have caused how many Akuma attacks this is ridiculous!"

It all came out as word vomit he couldn't stop. She was on the brink of tears, and the class had gone silent.

"I'm sorry." She said under her breath and ran to the bathroom.

No one knew what to do.

* * *

"Why am I like this, does everyone hate me, why wouldn't they all I do is criticize and hurt." Chloe was crying in a bathroom stall when a voice spoke that wasn't hers.

"Hello, I am Hawkmoth, and I can help you be loved by all you can be The Queen. All you have to do is get me Ladybug's and Chat Noir's miraculouses."

Her clothes changed to a black and yellow dress with black boots and was holding a scepter. Her hair was down and a mess, she had a black mask and a golden crown on her head.

"As you wish Hawkmoth."


	5. Chapter 5

Chloe, now The Queen, walked out of the bathroom only to run into Sabrina, "What happened to you? Are you okay, what's with your hair? Why-" When she touched her with her scepter, Sabrina stopped worrying and instead asked, "What can I do my Queen?" as her eyes clouded in a haze.

"You can find Adrien, while I gather more servants." Sabrina bowed and left.

"You will pay Adrien." She started in the opposite direction and 'knighted' anyone she crossed.

* * *

Marinette was was roaming the halls when she saw a girl with an army of boys, girls, teachers, and even some staff members. She ran into the first empty room she could find, "Tikki spots on!"

She transformed and walked to the girl. "Is there anything you're looking for?" it wasn't the best line she could say that was usually Chat's department.

She turned, "I AM THE QUEEN AND YOU WILL BOW BEFORE ME!" and started to charge with her arm extended. Ladybug dogged by ducking,spinning around her and kicking her in the back of the knee causing her to fall.

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE ATTACK!" The Queen yelled. Her servants started to swarm around Ladybug, everyone trying to grab an arm or a leg. They pinned her and Chloe was walking towards her.

"Looks like you lost this one Ladybug." She smiled and reached out to her. _What am I going to do I need to get out of this AND WHERE THE HELL IS THAT STUPID CAT!_

"Your Highness, I have Adrien here." Sabrina said interrupting her. She had his arms locked behind him, she didn't seem like it but she was pretty strong. Marinette's head shot up and wanted to scream for him to run, but when she saw his face, he wasn't scared he was looking at her, with worry, but absolutely no fear.

Queen Bee turned around and flew to him, "Well I would say you're regretting what you said to me huh."

He didn't say anything he just observed her._ Where could that Akuma be._ Everything she wore was yellow, or black. The Akuma usually gave something a tint and would always be something removable. He looked over at his lady, seeing her pinned like that, he wanted to rip off everyone's head that dared touch her.

"I'm still waiting."

"No." He looked her dead in the eye, "I don't regret what I said, I'm sorry you got Akumized, but you needed to hear that Chloe."

Plagg made sure not to move but the little guy was so scared. He knew Adrien was trying to come up with a plan but why couldn't he just break away and turn into Chat Noir, no one would remember a thing since the whole school was affected. _wait does he know that?_

"I think I know what will _make_ you regret." She walked back over to Ladybug. She tried to backup but the crowd was pushing her to the scepter, that's when she saw it, Chloe's sunglasses were gone, well nothing was the same, but it was worth a shot.

"What are you doing?! Just Take the Miraculous!" Hawkmoth yelled

"Shut it. I have a better plan."

Adrien was starting to struggle against her when Chloe reached out her hand, he saw Ladybug mouth 'glasses'.

He screamed.

* * *

"Get him."

Ladybug raised her head, her eyes were now cloudy like they were almost lifeless as the mob let go and she charged at him.

Sabrina let Adrien go and went to her Majesty's side.

He ran, he had no choice. His Lady was much stronger than him, especially when she was transformed.

She was gaining on him, but jumped into a closet and transformed _I'm so sorry My Lady_. Chat jumped out the window from the second story just as the door opened.

His staff extended to the ground with him landing ,on his feet this time ,and Ladybug lassoing and flipping in front of him.

"Where's Adrien you alley cat?" She yelled.

"My Lady your words hurt."_ Time to put on a show._ "As for that boy good luck. He's safely hidden away."

The Queen came down, "Aww how cute it's like Romeo and Juliet."

"How is this anything like that? And didn't they die in the end?"

"Yep, Ladybug kill him!" Chloe's scream echoed in the courtyard as she jumped at him, he slid under her and grabbed Chloe's leg, pulling her down making her a shield, being careful of her scepter.

"My Lady please come to your senses." His eyes pleading and voice almost breaking, but she kept coming.

_Come on think what can he do...maybe break the scepter? _He thought fast. "You wouldn't want to hurt your Queen now would you?"

She stopped.

"You know what would really help her, if we _clean _her crown."_ Please still be in there._ _You have to be I can't purify an_ _Akuma. _"Look there's dirt on it."

Ladybug walked closer to inspect the crown as The Queen started to laugh, "You think a little thing like that will save her."

"Worth a shot but this is what I really needed." He threw her aside and she the hit ground fairly hard. The scepter fell out of her reach allowing him to call "Cataclysm!" breaking the scepter.

"You little-" The Queen was cut off by seeing Chat Noir getting punched.

He was shocked that his Lady was still under control, and even worse is that she seemed to be fighting harder. 

_Ok That didn't work think think think_

Ladybug was chasing him all over the place as Chat was trying his best to get out of that situation. Then a thought hit him.

_She was able to save me from Dark Cupid..._

Chat spun around and started charging towards her and somehow managed to pin her against a wall. For obvious reasons she struggled, he really didn't want to do this. But he was out of ideas.

"I'm sorry."_ this doesn't count_

* * *

"Chat?" She looked really confused.

"There you are," He smiled with her still in his arms, " I'll explain, after we devilize her." He dropped his arms.

The Army had started to surround them. "Maybe now would be a good time for a Charm My Lady." He started fighting some of the 'knights' to give Ladybug some more room to work.

"I think you're right. Lucky Charm!" A slingshot fell into her hands.

There were rocks all over the place, "It can't be that easy." She picked up a rock and loaded the sling. She looked at Chloe standing behind the mob and fired at the crown.

She saw the butterfly fly out._ Ok so it was that easy. _"Bye bye, pretty butterfly."

She looked to Chat who looked pretty exhausted from the whole thing. "Chat what happened?" She asked

"Maybe when there isn't an audience my Lady, and I need to go. Your transformation is going to wear off soon." Her earring beeped

"Fine." She yo-yoed on to the school's roof and left.

"Chat Noir?" Chloe said rubbing her head.

"Hey are you Ok?"

"I'm fine thanks, where's Ladybug I wanted to see her."

"I'm afraid she left and I need to too." He started to head off when," Can you please find Adrien before you leave?"

"Why?"

"I-I need to talk to him." She looked down. Chat had never really seen her look so sorry before.

"I'll get him, and just try to think about other people from now on, this could have all been avoided."

"Yeah...I know thanks again." She waved bye as he ran.

* * *

Adrien came around the corner to find Chloe sitting on a bench with her head in her hands.

"Hey Chat Noir said you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah," She looked at him sitting up, "Look I'm not good at apologies and don't expect me to change in a day but I-I want to try.."

"Chloe that's really nice."

"I don't know what you see in Marinette or why everyone seems to like her so much, but I don't know I just don't want you to hate me." She wanted to crawl into a whole and never come back out this was so embarrassing.

"I don't hate you Chloe, and I don't think I ever will. And you're already making progress trying to be a nicer person."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you're trying to apologize for one and you've realised part of the problem, that's pretty good in my book."

"T-thanks but I meant you really won't hate me?"

"No Chloe you're still a friend." He smiled 

* * *

Everyone was at a loss, no one could remember what happened in the last hour or so. Nino and Alya were trying to find Adrien and Marinette to see if they had anything since they weren't in the sea of people affected.

Alya spotted Marinette, "Hey what happened, where were you?"

"I-I hid in a room, have no clue what happened."

Just then Nino and Adrien were coming to the group. "And what's the story with you?" Alya questioned.

"Well Sabrina caught me and dragged me to see Chloe, who was Akumized, then she got Ladybug and Chat showed up and shoved me into a room, after that I have no idea. Oh and Chloe said sorry or well her way of saying sorry." Alya and Marinette seemed a bit shocked at the last statement, but Nino seemed a little more distracted.

"Your storytelling skills could use some work man."

"Yeah,yeah. Oh and Marinette could we meet at the public library instead I have a feeling that the faculty won't stay after school today." She nodded excitedly

"Cool just text me the time."


	6. Chapter 6

Marinette was at the bakery frantically texting Alya with Tikki floating over he shoulder.

**M-But what do I say what if I forget how to talk HELP**

**A-You won't just... work on the project and everything will flow naturally**

**M-You've met me right...**

**A-You didn't stutter today! have you texted him yet?**

**M-0_0 WHAT DO**

She ran, scarring Tikki to death, to her purse and emptied it on her desk looking for his phone number. And nothing. She found some rough sketches and gum wrappers even some cookie crumbs but no phone number.

**M-I THINK I LOST IT HELP!**

**A-Calm down I'll just text him for you just blame it on the whole Chloe thing**

**M-You are a life saver**

**A-Don't mention it**

Marinette turned to Tikki, "Would you happen to have any stories you could tell me about the history of Ladybug."

"I do, but don't you have to site you information?"

"Oh yeah, but it wouldn't hurt to tell me some. I actually can't believe I haven't asked about it as much."

Tikki smiled, "Maybe for a bedtime story but I don't think you would like them as much."

"Why is that?" she asked confusedly

"Well, it's just that, around 99% of the time Ladybug ends up with Chat, and the one percent that didn't, well, let's just say that Plagg wasn't the best at choosing." She cringed at the memory of that guy. Sure a nice person but Lord there is only so much cheese smell she can handle. 

Mari laughed a little, "It's not written in stone Tikki I don't have to be with Chat and he doesn't have to be with me."

* * *

Adrien was lying on his bed staring up at his phone, "She hasn't texted yet, do you think she forgot?" He said to Plagg.

"Mhhgu hnds hjbshbc hfhc." He said with his mouth full of cheese.

_ **Bzzzz** _

His phone fell on his face._ ouch_

**Nino's gf-Hey Mari lost your phone # during the whole Chloe thing today here's her # 36636768**

**A-Ok thanks I'll text her**

He quickly typed her number in and texted her.

**My Lady-Hi Alya told me what happened what time did you want to meet up**

* * *

Marinette looked down at her phone and saw the unknown number, "Oh my God Tikki what do I say? He texted me really fast what does that mean?"

"I think you may be reading into this a bit too much he just asked what time you wanted to meet."

She nodded and looked at her clock that read 4:00. "Ok you may be right Tikki." She calmed down and texted.

**M-Is 5 good?**

The response came almost instantly

**Adrien-4:30 would be better :)**

_OMG IS THAT A SMILEY FACE HOW DO I EVEN REACT TO THAT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!_

**M-Ok that should work see you in 30 :)** _ Just do it back?!?!?_

**Adrien-Can't wait :)**

_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Wait you still have to tell mom._

"Hey Mom, I'm going to the library to work on a school project in fifteen alright?" She called down stairs.

"That's fine dear just be back for dinner at eight, but could you come here for a second and help me with the laundry?"

"Sure." She walked down the stairs and left Tikki in her room.

"Ok help me fold these sheets then you can go meet Alya." She smiled and handed an end to her and started folding.

Marinette blushed, "Oh well, Mom, you see, I was assigned a partner, so I have to do this with A-Adrien."

Sabine stopped. "A boy? You know boys? When did that happen?" She joked and continued folding.

"_Mooooooommm_." She blushed harder.

"I'm just teasing dear, I don't see why you get so flustered over this, even if this is a boy you like."

"I-I never said I l-liked him."

"You didn't have to, the way you shooed us out of your room when he was over to practice for that gaming tournament was enough for me, plus I used to blush like that when I would even hear your father's name was mentioned. Like mother like daughter, I suppose."

"Wait really you would do things like this?" She was utterly shocked she never thought of her mother as a stuttering and blushing mess in front of her dad.

"Oh yeah, I remember the first time Tom spoke to me I nearly fainted I was so happy, but after a while we got comfortable with each other and started dating. Then you came along and we got married and...Wait that was suppose to be the other way around, we got married _then _had you." She quickly corrected herself.

"I know mom you two were married at least a year before you had me." She giggled at her mom's embarrassment.

"A year and a half actually, to the day I believe." She smiled again and handed her some white towels, "After you fold these you can leave, I'll start dinner, and you should see if he wants to come eat with us after."

"What, no, I can't do that, I can barely talk to him as is!"

"Then I'll ask Tom to invite him when he comes to get you." She smiled innocently.

_The only thing worse then me asking is Dad asking._

"No no you don't need to do that, I'll ask, and I can walk myself home it's like a ten minute walk at most."

"I know that but it will be dark by then and I worry." Her eyes looked sad but she still had that motherly smile.

"Don't worry mom I'll be fine, and I'm done with these so I'll just get my purse and head out, Love you.

"Love you too, just stay safe." Marinette smiled and went back up the stairs grabbed everything and left.

* * *

Adrien was walking into the library and saw Marinette already looking through the aisles of books.

"Hey." Apparently she didn't see him because she jumped and squeaked causing the librarian to obnoxiously shh them.

"Sorry," she whispered to the old lady and turned back to Adrien, "hi so um I can't find a-anything on either of them in these books." she sounded apologetic.

"That's weird let's see if we can find anything on a computer." She nodded and followed him to an empty chair; he stood behind the chair and pulled it out for her.

"Uh, t-thank you." She blushed and sat.

"No problem." He pulled a chair from another table next to hers and sat, "So what should we look up?"

"I don't know maybe we should try the Ladyblog?"

She typed it in the search engine and Alya's face appeared and they scrolled down and found links to theories, pictures, videos, and...

"Fanfiction?" They both said.

"Uh I vote we stay away from that tag."

"I second the notion." he stated._ That may be interesting to read later._

She clicked on the theories and they looked through them for a good thirty minutes.

"Why are most of these about them dating or knowing each other's identities?" She asked.

"I have no clue, but I kind of understand the dating thing even though I don't think that's true."

"Yeah but I think the blog is a bust." He nodded and she typed in 'the history of Ladybug and Chat Noir.'

An article popped up with images and dates.

"The first recorded Ladybug was in Egypt and it has been theorised that she did have a Chat Noir even though there was no evidence of him in that time..." She read, "What does that mean he must have been there, you can't have one without the other."

"He could have been a slave, most if not all of them weren't recorded, and correct me if I'm wrong but Chat Noir represents bad luck right?"

"I guess you're right, I'll just keep reading, 'The first recorded Chat however was in Athens, Greece, thought to be a warrior of some kind."

"Looks like we found a good site, what is it?

"Umm ladylore. org why?

"We need to sight our research remember."

"Oh yeah. Sorry I almost forgot."

He smiled, "It's fine." He moved his seat closer to the table and by extension her

"O-ok so there are a lot of dates and some of them look like they have some time jumps," She paused, "shouldn't we make a list of things we already know, so we don't bore too many people during the presentation."

"Yeah I think you're right, so one would be what?"

"Um Ladybug has the power to purify the akumas and her other power is 'lucky charm' and Chat's power is..." She paused trying to remember the name.

"Power is 'Cataclysm' and he can't devilize the akumas." He helped her out

"Yeah and they transform because of their Kwamies right?" _You need to sound a little clueless at least._

"Yeah they get sucked in by her earrings and his ring don't they?" _Two can play this game purrincess._

"I think that's more of a theory than fact right now."_ How did he know that I don't remember reading that?_

_Come on please get who I am!!!_

"Ok but do we know anything else?"

"Chat is in love with her." He gazed at her only to see her roll her eyes.

"Yeah sure and Ladybug just gives him the cold shoulder for no reason. Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of, let's look at these dates."

She hovered over them and clicked on the 'renaissance' timeline and discovered that there was only one Ladybug and Chat Noir throughout the entire era

"Wow. 'In this time it was the first recorded male Ladybug and female Chat Noir however then she was known as Black Cat sense they were in England at the time."

"That's really cool. And I know this is off topic but why do they put the adjective before the noun?"

She giggled "I don't know but they probably wonder the same about us."

"Excuse me but the library will be closing soon and I need to shut off the computers." said the old lady

"Oh of course sorry." She said and they got up and he pulled his chair back to the table and walked back to her.

"Well it looks like we're done for the day but I can walk you home if you'd like." He smiled as she grabbed her purse.

"Oh you don't need to do that it's only a ten minute walk I'll be fine." _If he walks me home that means more time with him but that also means that Mom will ask him to stay and that would mean sitting at a table with him and my Dad, no that can't happen._

_"_It's dark Marinette and I insist on it you can't argue with me on this."

_What's the worst that could happen_, "Fine you can walk me home."

He put his arm around her shoulders and smiled to himself at her blush.

* * *

They were at her doorstep and she said, "T-thank you for walking me home."

"It was my pleasure." _I kind of don't want to leave yet._ "So I guess I'll see you at school?"

"Yeah definitely, Goodn-"

"Hello Adrien, so nice to see you again," Sabin busted into the conversation, "would you like to stay for dinner, it's fairly late and a growing boy is always hungry."

"Oh uh I wouldn't want to impose."

She grabbed both of them by the arm and led him inside. "Oh nonsense the more the merrier we tend to cook to much anyway. Tonight we're having chicken and steamed vegetables and for dessert we have Camembert. Tom! Adrien's staying for dinner!"

They were being dragged to the dinner table and then slung into their seats in front of Tom.

"So Adrien so nice to see you again, still playing video games," He smiled, but Marinette wanted to crawl up to her bedroom and avoid everything that was about to happen.

_This is the worst that could happen._


	7. Chapter 7

Marinette was tense, but everyone else seemed to be relaxed at the dinner table. Sabine was starting to bring out the food as Tom was talking about older video games.

"-And don't forget the Konami code." Tom laughed.

"Tom I know you love video games, but I would like to know what you two are doing your project on." Sabine turned to the kids, setting the last dish down, and finally seating herself.

"Oh we were researching Ladybug and Chat Noir." Adrien said simply.

"Really, did you find anything." She said scooping some steamed greens on her plate and Tom going straight to the chicken.

"N-not really just a lot of theories and stuff like that." Marinette chimed in as she was starting to eat.

"Hey, we did find that one sight, you know with all the past Ladybugs and Chats." The blond turned to his lady.

"Yeah, but it's hard to tell if that was fact or more theories." She stated and he nodded and smirked.

"Ok now we know what they did now can we get to know this boy now?" Tom asked with his face stuffed. Sabine looked down and smiled and he took it as a yes.

"Thank you, now Adrien moving from games because she," he gestured to his wife," isn't as big of a fan, what movies do you like."

"Umm, I always liked Disney and Dreamworks and that stuff but I think my favorite is Princess Bride."

"Ok Marinette that's it you have no choice but to marry this boy." She slammed her hand on the table.

"Mmmoooommmm!" _Ok nope! Can't! Why mother and great now I am the color of a tomato AND WHY IS HE LAUGHING!_

He couldn't help it he can't remember the last time he had a happy family dinner let alone one where there was talk of things that actually interested him. "Sorry, I just thought that was funny."

"That is Sabine's favorite movie too, and the only people that watches it with her is us."

"I never saw why my brother never liked it, speaking of which was that also you that acted as Marinette's translator?"

"Yeah, Alya called me and told me about it I hope that was ok."

"Oh no that was fine dear, I was just wondering, and so sorry that she doesn't know anything."

"That's not true." Marinette said defensively.

"Dear you know less than the basics the only things you say perfectly are different forms of 'I love you ."

_That explains why she tried to criticize me last night._

"I can introduce myself." She kept insisting.

"Not well, honestly sometimes I think I failed as your mother for not teaching you more. Anyway, I wanted to ask you Adrien. Why did you start learning Chinese?"

"Well, my father wanted me to be fluent in a language other than French and English, so he chose Chinese."

_should I show off...I kinda want to._

"I am happy though that I know Chinese. It comes in handy every now and then." He said in Chinese and Sabine's eyes sparkled.

"Wow! That is really good. Mind if I ask you one thing?" She replied in Chinese with a smile.

"I don't mind"

"How do you feel about my daughter?" She kept her normal demeanor as she asked but saw some pink on the boy's cheeks.

"I-I can't say...She will understand me. I don't want to tell her just yet."

"I understand. Don't worry your secret is safe with me." She winked.

"Can you please tell me what you two are talking about." Tom chimed in.

"I am afraid it's a secret shared only between those who speak Chinese." She responded then looked to her daughter, "Fluently." 

Marinette looked at Adrien silently pleading to be let in on the secret. He just made the zipping motion across his lips.

"Well how about another subjects, we all know about your dad but any other family?" She still smiled.

"I don't see them that often, but I'd say the one I'm closest to would be my cousin, Félix."

"Can you tell us about him?" Tom asked reading Sabin's mind.

"Well, we look kind of alike except he's older and taller than me, but he's more...cold? I guess, but underneath he's great, he's why I wanted to start fencing." Adrien smiled at the memory of his cousin visiting them and first teaching him the basics. "There was one time he was teaching me some basic stances and things were going fine until a snake slithered by. He must've jumped ten feet high. It was pretty funny, but I've been told I'm not the best story teller so sorry if that was bad."

"Don't worry about that. You're young you'll get better with time." Tom stated

"Yeah no one starts out telling amazing stories. It's a lot of trial and error, but your cousin sounds amazing. However, I say we've been talking a little too much and not eating, let's stuff our faces." Marinette's mother grabbed a second bowl and started to pass it around the table.

* * *

"Thank you for eating with us," Sabine smiled at Adrien and turned to Marinette, "Marinette can you see him out."

She stiffened but nodded and started to walk towards the door, "This way A-Adrien." He followed.

They stood at the door steps, and he said, "Thanks for having me."

"You shouldn't thank me, my mom practically dragged us to the dinner table." Her voice was quiet and unsure of how to say anything.

"No really, it was nice, I don't get a lot of family dinners at my house, this was really fun." His smile grew.

"I-I still don't think you should thank us, but i-if," _What am I doing don't finish that DO NOT_,"you liked it w-would like to it do, I-I mean do it again sometime."_ CODE RED CODE RED THIS DID NOT JUST HAPPEN._

His cheeks were a slight rose color,but his smile looked very Chat like and said, "I'd like that."_ she is so cute._

She calmed down a little at his response and decided to ask, "You sure you can't tell me what you and Mom were talking about?"

"We were just talking about you." He teased. Marinette was getting visibly flustered but a car honked before she could say anything.

"Well that's my ride. See you later Marinette." He smiled and inwardly laughed at her attempts to say bye to him.

* * *

"Dude I think you were redder than her for once." Plagg said as he munched on some cheese he took from dinner.

"Maybe but why wouldn't I she was so adorable and just so cute and-"

"I get the point." Plagg was and has been very annoyed from the whole love sick puppy thing he's been going through but he heard footsteps and sped to his hiding spot.

"Adrien your father would like to speak with you." Nathalie stated.

"Alright tell him I'll be there in a sec." He waited till she left his room and went to Plagg. "What do you think he wants?"

"I don't know but let's just go before he gets mad." He said and went into his pocket.

Adrien entered his father's office, it was filled with designs and fabrics, but all in an organized manner. "You called for me?"

"Yes, I just wanted to inform you that your cousin is going to be here for a bit until he can find a place."

"Félix?"

"If you mean the boy on your mother's side then yes." Gabriel sounded distant despite being in the same room.

"When will he be here?" Just as he finished his sentence he heard a voice come from behind him.

"Well, I would say thirty minutes ago."

Plagg shivered


	8. Chapter 8

"About thirty minutes ago."

Plagg stiffened at the sound of a familiar voice._ Of all the people in the world that could be your cousin. It had to be him, really Fu really._

Adrien spun around and was amazed to see his favorite cousin, well, only cousin.

"Sorry for the intrusion, but it shouldn't take me too long to find a place." Félix stated as he entered the room and rubbed Adrien's head.

"As long as you are willing to help me with my work we should be fine." Gabriel said still sitting in his desk.

"It's great to see you again Félix." Adrien smiled as he greeted his cousin.

He nodded and spoke, "Thank you again for letting me stay, but it's late so I'll be off to bed. Night Adrien, Uncle." He waved to them goodbye and as he left Adrien's father gave Adrien a slight look which he took as his cue to leave, "Night Father."

* * *

"Plagg are you ok?" He asked his Kwami

_He's just floating and staring at the cheese in his hand._

"I'm good just remembered a different Chat, and one I am not the happiest about."

"What do you mean." He started to walk to his bed.

"Well, for reasons I won't mention their name, but Chat Noir's ring wasn't always removable, and the only way to get it off was to kiss Ladybug." He followed.

"That doesn't sound that bad." He smiled as he took off his shirt.

"That easy for you to say. You have real feelings for her. He wanted to make her like him just so he could get rid of the ring, and by extension me." Plagg voice softened.

"What. That's horrible and he was a superhero?" He turned to his Kwami and stared in shock.

"Yeah, don't mix anything up. When it came to crime and akumas he was pretty good, but when it came to everything else he...well."

"How did he even get picked by you?"

"Well, you see it wasn't me that picked him, after the cheese guy incident you get picked by this whoever is the Guardian by showing an act of kindness, it really is just a matter of fate."

"So the cheese guy?" Adrien said trying to lighten the mood.

"He gave some of his cheese to the hungry when he could, he was nice, and smart even, just not athletic."

"Ok but how did he get her to kiss him."

"He flirted and did weird gestures and stuff like that, I don't know much about what happened after she found out...other then she quit being Ladybug, and so did he."

"Wait what? They just quite?"

"Yeah it was a bit of a mess, but honestly not the worst."

"Worst?"

"You know the dinosaurs?"

"Plagg really."

"Not my finest moment I will admit."

"So...why is my ring removable now?"

"It took a lot of power, but I was not going to let that happen again. I'm not even sure Tikki knows about the ring now."

"Who's Tikki?"

"Ladybug's Kwami. She is amazing and a very close second to cheese."

"Plagg do you have a crush on her?" Adrien teased

"For the first few thousand I did, but she never returned the feeling, and besides it's better to have her as a true friend then an awkward ex."

"Yeah I guess that's true, but did she know your feelings?" He smirked as he got into bed.

"Ok look Cat boy not everyone can be as vocal as you when it comes to matters of the heart."

"You never know if you don't try."

"Ugh I'm going to bed. Night." Plagg floated away.

"...So our Kwamis are made for eachother too..."

"I SAID NIGHT!"

Adrien laughed quietly to himself as he started to wonder what the past Ladybugs and Chats were like.

* * *

Marinette was in her room holding on to her pillow sitting criss-cross on her bed. Tikki was floating next to her bedside lamp, which was the only thing illuminating the room other than the pale moonlight.

"I can't believe I did that and he said yes. What am I supposed to do Tikki?"

"Well you could just have dinner with him, besides he had fun."

"How can you be sure he's not just being polite?" Her voice was muffled as she held the pillow tighter and talked into it.

"You just need to relax Marinette, I know, why don't I just tell you a bedtime story?"

She smiled and looked at her Kwami, "Sure got any with Ladybug and Chat _not _being together?" She joked.

"I actually do, but it's not very happy."

"I can take it tell me." She sat up with the pillow in her lap.

"Well ok. It was the last Ladybug actually, she was amazing, and like you she didn't like Chat in a romantic way. She was always focused on either saving Paris or this guy at school, I forgot his name, sorry. And anyway like your Chat he was a major flirt when it came to Ladybug, but not for the right reason."

Tikki glanced at her legs, "Tikki what happened?"

"He well, he only wanted her to kiss him so he could remove his miraculous and not be Chat any more."

"What! Why would he want to stop being Chat!?" She whispered yelled so she wouldn't wake her parents.

"Plagg tends to bring his bad luck wherever he goes." She started to smile at the memories of him knocking down things and breaking something and she would just be able to put everything back in order...eventually.

"Plagg?"

"He's Chat's Kwami, I remember when all that happened and his Chat left him, he swore never to put anyone else through that kind of pain."

"He sounds really caring."

"He is; it may seem all he cares about is cheese, but he really does care. I don't know if he was able to fix the ring, but I doubt it matters now, you've already kissed him and he's still Chat Noir." She smiled.

"What happened to the Ladybug?" She said not wanting to talk about the kiss.

"She quit. She was heartbroken and like you said you can't have one without the other."

"That's so sad." She yawned

"I told you it was, now get some sleep you still have school tomorrow."

Marinette yawned again and started to curl into her sleeping position. "Goodnight Tikki."

"Goodnight Marinette."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so before you read this chapter I just need to say that I am not trans but want to include a character who is. I don't see a lot of rep for original trans characters in the community, but know people who are trans in my day to day life. That being said if you are easily Triggered by anything related to coming out or the rejection of that you may not want to read the next couple of chapters. I don't wish to offend anyone so if I get something really wrong CALL ME OUT.   
Thank you

**One Week Ago**

"Hey Mom can Genevieve come for a visit?" Marinette asked while she sat on a stool eating some cereal.

"Is that your penpal, the one from Nice?"

"Yeah that's her, she was already coming to Paris to see her grandparents, so is that a yes?" She asked hopefully with a huge grin on her face.

"I don't see any problem with that. When would she be coming over?"

"I'll ask." She texted on her phone and didn't need to wait long for the reply, "In a week."

* * *

Marinette is lying in her bed with Tikki talking about her friend.

"I can't believe she's coming over I haven't seen her since we were little."

"She sounds nice but a lot can happen in a few years, you've seen what can happen in just a day"

"Yeah I guess you're right but she is still my friend. Oh I forgot to tell her she can come." She quickly grabbed her phone and started texting.

**-Mom said sure cant wait to see you Gen :)**

This response took a bit longer

**-Umm actually I don't like being called Gen any more**

**-Ok is it Penguin123 now lol** She laughed at the old username.

**-Mari I'm serious I go by Louis now and I don't want to be called a girl anymore either.**

_Oh..._ "Mari is everything alright?"

"Yeah I-I just think s-he he came out to me." She was shocked to say the least but they were still her friend.

**-I'm sorry I was just trying to make a joke I won't call you Gen or a girl Louis I swear.**

**-Thanks sorry for not saying it before i asked to visit probably should have done that.**

**-That's fine is there anything else i need to know like any medical stuff?**

**-No nothing like that yet I'm still coming out to everyone the only things I've done so far is cut my hair and started binding**

**-Is it ok to ask who knows?** _The last thing I want is to ruin our friendship by outing them._

**-You, Mom, and a couple of close friends, my grandparents don't know yet, I'm planning to come out in person to them.**

**-Good luck, one more question, can i tell my parents, you know so they don't misgender you in any way?**

**-That is totally fine and I think I'll need more than luck to get through this though.**

**-Remember when in doubt rip it off like a band-aid :) **

She smiled at the memory that caused that phrase to be one of the many inside jokes.

**-Thanks see you soon :)**

"So everything is sorted out I presume." Tikki said

"Yeah everything's fine, and you were definitely right."

"About what?"

"A lot can happen in a few years." She smiled and so did Tikki.

* * *

**Night before Louis ** **arrival**

Ladybug and Chat were out on one of their patrols wandering the streets of Paris.

"Chat you never did tell me what happened with Queen the other day."

His cheeks felt much warmer despite the cool night air, "Well you see My Lady when she possessed you I started to wonder how on Earth to save you and then as a last resort I remembered how you saved me from Dark Cupid and..."

"Chat did you...kiss me?" Now it was her turn to blush.

"In my defence it was the only way I could think of to save you and I can't purify akumas. I'm really sorry I did it wi-" Chat stopped when he felt a finger over his lips.

"Then we're even Chat it's not a problem you did what you had to, to save Paris."

_You. to save you._

He thought as he felt her finger leave his lips and she kept walking.

"Oh, by the way I meant to ask how the project is going." He said not wanting to stop talking all together.

"It's going well. He said he would do the essay if I did the slideshow and then proof check each other's. Oh crap."

"What's wrong?"

"I forgot to tell him that I would need to leave early tomorrow."

"May I know why?" Asked the curious chat.

"I have a friend visiting me from Nice and I haven't seen them since I was little."

"As long as it isn't another love rival I'm good." He laughed._ yup sure is fun competing for you with myself._

"No nothing like that, I just hope he can make it here ok." She smiled sweetly.

"They'll be fine they have you for a friend."

She smiled and felt her cheeks get even warmer. _Why am I blushing this is Chat for God's sake I shouldn't be blushing._

"Thank you but anything new with you since you love to question me so much?"

"Not really My Lady, but my cousin is staying over for a bit."

"Oh what are they like?"

"Pretty cool kind of cold a real Kudere character."

"A what?"

Chat stopped in his tracts, "My Lady please tell me you have seen at least one anime."

"Sorry, but no, and what is a kudere?"

"It's a type of person who acts real cool and unemotional but is nicer once you get them after a while, and Ladybug please watch some anime. For your partner's sanity." He got down on his knees and held his hands in a praying position and begged.

"What would I watch." She asked playing along with her over dramatic Chat.

He stood up and took in a deep breath, "Fairy Tail, Black Butler, Ouran High School Host Club, Angel Beats, Sword Art Online -just the first part-, Snow White with Red Hair, Soul Eater, Inuyasha, Fruits Basket, Free, Kaze no Stigma, Clannad, Attack on Titan and Sailor Moon to name a few. I honestly can't believe you haven't seen Sailor Moon."

"What is that about?" She asked trying to wrap her mind around what she got herself into.

"That one is a magical girl anime that I'm not saying anything about because of spoilers, but I think you would like it, and Ouran and even Soul Eater." She stared at him with cluelessness, "It's not as gory as it sounds I promise."

"Ok I'm taking your word on it. Maybe me and my friend will watch some or something."

"For your friend I suggest instead of committing to a series, any Studio Ghibli movie is great."

"You know a lot about this stuff don't you." She smiled.

"Let's just say I had a lot of free time when I was younger." He had his Chat grin plastered across his face. "Looks like we finished our patrol early." His smile shrank.

"Yeah and I have one heck of a day tomorrow so see you Chat." She started to lassow her way home.

"Bye my Princess." He said when she was out of ear shot then made his way home.

* * *

**The Day of the ** **Arrival**

**Louis**

_I can't believe I'm seeing her again! And she accepted me with no questions, Mari really is an amazing friend._

Louis thought while on the train, with his backpack sitting in his lap._ I wonder if she will recognize me? _He started to play with one of his straps on the black bag.

He felt his phone ring in his pocket. It was his grandmother._ how can I tell them, when Dad divorced Mom because he fell in love with another man they went ballistic, maybe I shouldn't tell them._

Then Mari's voice appeared in his head "When in doubt rip it off like a Band-aid." He smiled.

_Ok the worst thing that could happen is they disown me and I live with Mom anyway. They won't do anything worse than that...right? I Just need to get this over with and move on._

"Hello?"

"Hello Genevieve, I'm just calling to say that your grandfather and I won't be able to pick you up from the train station because his car won't start so we needed to call a tow truck and they said they won't have it fixed until tomorrow morning at the earliest and you know how I don't like public transportation and your grandfather won't move off of his recliner so we aren't going to be able to meet you either-"

"That's fine grandmother I can ta-"

"Hush I know I've told you it's rude to interrupt now where was I?" There was a long pause.

"You were saying-"

"Young lady what did I just tell you about interrupting...Oh now I remember what I was saying I was telling you will need to take a taxi to our house but we also won't be able to see you until five o'clock because we will be in the town running some errands and then we need to check on our neighbor's cat because she is out of town, poor thing her great aunt passed away last tuesday and she's at the funeral in Lyon and won't be back until this wednesday poor dear. "

"Would I be able to go see a friend since you won't be home?" He said fast enough so he wouldn't be interrupted.

"I suppose that would be fine. I will tell you when I get home." She hung up.

_Not even a 'I love you' or 'Hope you're safe.' thanks grandmother_

* * *

It was getting close to the end of class and Adrien and Mari were in a conversation about the project when she suddenly felt her phone vibrate

**-Hey Mari my grandmother can't get me and I know you were planning to leave early anyway so can you meet me in 15**

**-Np**

"Hey Adrien sorry, but I need to leave a bit earlier." Marinette said as she got out all her notes back together.

"That's cool I just need to copy some of your notes to start on the essay." He gestured to them.

"Oh yeah here are they are you can just give them back to me tomorrow and sorry again but I'm already late." She rambled on as she grabbed her bag and started to the teacher's desk. Miss Bustier just nodded as she left.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings from the last chapter still apply and remember this is fanfiction

Louis as standing on the platform with his backpack over one shoulder and his luggage by his side. He had dark red hair was covering his eyes as he played with his father's old ring. He was wearing a gray loose fitting baseball tee with dark jeans and some spattered painted high tops.

He started to text Mari too see where she was as he had been waiting for ten minutes.

**L-Where r u**

**M-Coming down the stairs at terminal B**

**L-Im at C meet u there**

**M-Ok**

He started walking when he felt his phone buzz again.

**M-This may be weird but did you dye your hair darker, like a lot darker**

He started to look around until he saw a girl with dark hair worn in pigtails.

**L-Why yes I did and do you really still wear pigtails??**

After he sent the message he put his phone in his pocket and walked to her as she practically ran and hugged him as he picked her up.

"Oh my gosh I haven't seen you in so long and..." Mari looked down," no no not you too I thought for sure I could be taller than you this is so not fair and put me down."

He laughed as he put her down, "It's great to see you too Mari."

She smiled again, "Yeah but come on we can go to may house and watch some movies or something, and I want to know everything." She started to walk.

He grabbed his bag, "You want to know everything that happened in the past 10 years, i don't think that's possible." He laughed again as he followed her.

* * *

"Mom, Dad, Louis's here." She yelled

"Hey dear it's been so long do you want some cookies or anything else." She hugged him as Tom waved from the counter.

"Nah I'm good Mrs. D.C."

"Guys, we're going to be in my room if you need anything."

"I think we got everything covered." Tom said waving a customer good bye.

When they walked into her room the first the he said was, "Pink overload."

"You can never have too much pink."

"But you can have too many pictures of _one_ guy on your walls, God what his he a model or something?"

She blushed and looked at the ground, "well, yeah actually."

"God someone has a celebrity crush. To be fair he is like super hot." He laughed again.

"Can you really call it that if I know him?" She blushed.

"You What! Ok now _I _want to know everything." He sat on her bed.

"Well, it's not like it's a secret, we go to the same school and now we're partnered up for this project and he's just so sweet and amazing and perfect and ugh words can't describe it."

"Ok, but how did you meet?"

"The first time I met him was more of a misunderstanding, I thought he had placed gum on my seat, but he was actually trying to remove it, and at the end of the day he told me that this was his first time in a real school and that it was Chloe that put it on my seat and even though I was in the wrong he seemed sorry and it was raining and he gave me his umbrella and ever since then I've really liked him, and that feeling just keeps growing."

"Aww, Mari that's so cute, does he know?"

"Of course not, he will never notices me in that way." Mari said as she plopped on her bed.

"He will one day, anyone that beautiful has to have some brains."

"He does and he's amazing at everything in school, he even knows Chinese,_ I _don't even know that."

"Ok he sounds great I must meet him at once and give him the seal of approval."

"Sadly that is a no go, for one thing he's still at school and-"

"Alright then after school, or after I see my grandparents, but I want to meet this boy."

"...Fine, but we have some time to kill so what do you want to do?"

"We could watch a movie, I know some web sites we can watch some on."

"Ok, what movie?"

"I'm kind of in the mood for some anime."

_Why of all things the one genre I don't know ugh_

"I don't know any anime movies."

"Ok that's it we are watching either Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle."

"What are they about."

"Well, Spirited Away is about a little girl who stumbles into the spirit world and ends up having to save her family from being eaten I guess, they got turned into pigs. Howl's Moving Castle is about another girl, but she gets turned into an old lady and there's a war going on, and Howl is magic and there's a fire demon and-"

"You need work on storytelling."

"I will have to agree with you on that, but which one?"

"I guess the first one and we can watch the other later or something."

He grinned from ear to ear as he frantically typed the movie and found it, "Do you want subs or dubs?"

"It gives me a headache trying to read and watch at the same time, dub please."

* * *

"I thought you were joking about the pig thing." Marinette said as she stared at the screen looking at the end credits.

"Out of all the thing you could have said you think of the pigs," He shook his head," but you have to admit that was an amazing movie."

"Yeah it was great I kind of liked how the girl and boy didn't stay together."

"What? You of all people I would think would have been like sad or something."

"I know but it would have been stupid if they did, she's what ten? And even though her parents were kind of off they are still her parents."

"Yeah, I guess I get it, but what was your fav part?"

She thought, "I think when she carried the coal and the little puff balls started to crowd around her."

"Mine will forever be when Haku remembered his name." He looked at the clock and his smiled disappeared, "Hey I have to leave but I'll see you tomorrow." He started to gather everything up and hugged her again.

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"No I need to do this by myself, but thanks." He smiled as he let her go and left.

* * *

_Ok Louis you got this just tell them and you can either cut them out of your life or they can accept you and you don't need to worry just knock on the door._

He knocks and there was the sound of foot steps, then a loud creak of the door opening, "Hi Grandmother."

"My my you cut your hair that's a pity you had such beautiful hair and it's dyed, dear don't you know that it's unhealthy to do that?" _No hug._

"No it's bleach that hurts your hair and-"

"And why are you wearing such loose cloths people could mistake you for a boy-"

_NOW_ "T-They wouldn't be wrong."_ What was with the stutter and why was that so quiet._

"What was that young _lady _I'm not sure I heard you correctly?"_ Oh you damned well heard me_

"I said they wouldn't be wrong I-I'm trans and-"

"Oh dearie God doesn't make mistakes."

"No, he doesn't it's not a mistake that I'm trans, he has my life planned out for me a-and," _why am I starting to cry_, "I-I'm perfect in his image."

_Come on you prepared for this you don't need to cry you have Mom and Mari and everyone else back home you shouldn't need them...but they're family..._

Louis was starting to ball his eyes out causing his speech to break, "I-I don't know w-what I was expecting from the woman who sh-shunned their own son in-law." He ran he didn't know what else to do, but run.

He went into an alleyway just a couple blocks over and just sank to the ground and sat with his knees against his chest and played with his dad's pinkie ring that he wore on his thumb, "You knew this would happen you knew it and you still thought they would make an exception but-" A dark butterfly landed on his ring and he heard a voice.

"Bonjour, I am Hawlkmoth and you are now Switch-"

"No I'm Louis I fought too hard for that to give it up now."

Ignoring the statement he carried on, "You want people to feel your suffering you want people to know what it's like to have the wrong body. All you have to do is bring me the miraculouses of Ladybug and Chat Noir."

"Yeah, yeah, let's get this over with." His clothes transform into a black and royal purple suit with a long tail and a dark green bow tie with a white mask. His normally wild red hair was slicked back and seemed to have golden powder in it. His ring stayed the same.

* * *

Marinette heard a scream while she was sketching in the park. She ran, leaving her book on the bench, behind a tree. "Tikki Spots on!"

Ladybug ran toward the scream to find a horrified woman clutching her top. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME!" they screamed into the sky.

"Ma'am what's wrong where did the villain go?"

"I'm a man! They changed me I feel like I have ten extra pounds on my chest, HELP ME LADYBUG!"

"Sir where did they go!?" She repeated again.

They were going to say in the trees, but instead it was a, "LOOK OUT!"

* * *

Adrien was sitting in his room with Plagg once again, "I need to tell her soon."

"Why? It's kind of fun watching her be so clueless."

"Because it's almost been two weeks since I found out." He paced back and forth, "Maybe I could hint at it while I'm Adrien or I could go to her house with bed head do you think she would get it then?"

"You two have been so clueless, and she couldn't even figure out it was you after the whole feather thing." Just then his staff rang

"Plagg Claws out!" He reached for his staff, "Yes My Lady is there a problem?"

"Yes, my friend they got akumizied and got me. We're at the Park."

_Wow she has a really deep voice over the phone._

* * *

When Chat got there it was hard for him not to laugh, "I'm sorry my Lady it's just you're a Lord."

Her pigtails were gone and the costume was three sizes too small.

"Oh shut up it's not funny, I can barely breath." Her voice cracked as well and was a good two octaves deeper. "I now understand why you acted the way you did with Reflecta."

"Not to worry my Lady I won't be so harsh with you." he smiled.

"Aww look what the cat dragged in." Louis said with a evil tone.

"Why does everyone say that to me when I haven't 'dragged' anything in." He asked his lady as he held his pole behind his head. "By the way what's your name?"

"Louis, and you know in most fights they don't talk this much." Louis fired a golden ray at Chat that his him square in the chest as LB tried to get to him in time.

"CHAT!"

He looked down and saw a lot of hair, and now his costume was too tight around the chest but to big around his arms and legs. "Are you kidding me AGAIN AGAIN PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T MAKE ME HAVE HEELS TOO!" He lifted up his leg to find great relief that there were no heels.

While Chat was distracted by his new appearance Ladybug was already fighting, "Louis why are you doing this." _The Louis I know would never agree to this._

"I want people to feel what I feel._" hopeless...lost...a mistake...wrong..._

"But you still have people who love you and want to see you smile and want to be there for you!" She ran to him trying to grab him.

"LIES LIES ALL LIES!" He kept firing at her, trying to slow her down. Despite being in the wrong body she could still do most everything she did before, that is until she missed a landing...on a fence...

"MOTHERFUCK WHAT TH-" She screamed curses slightly shocking Chat but he knew that pain all too well.

"My sincerest apologies my Lord. I'll get them."

He was running to catch up and attempting to calm him down. "Look I don't know what happened, but My Lady doesn't lie." 

Louis shot another beam shouted, "I don't care what she says! You guys have no idea what this feels like!"

"You're right we don't, but why do you want everyone to experience that pain!?" He replied dodging another attack.

"How else can people understand!?" 

Ladybug had finally caught up to them with her lucky charm, a picture of his family.

"Please think of your Mom and your friends, think of your Dad. They don't want to see you like this."

He softened a little but was still on attack mode. Chat had gotten close in that moment of hesitation and finally got Louis on the ground.

"They truly care about you and-"

"NOT my grandparents they didn't stop me leaving they didn't help me hell they haven't even said they loved me in years!"

Adrien winced at that last part. "I'm sorry," his voice was soft but he still held Louis firm on the ground, "but you don't have to keep them in your life, you can choose who you want to be your family. Family doesn't end in blood, sometimes it doesn't even start there."

Louis calmed down somehow all he could hear was, "Get me their miraculouses!"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH." He broke free of Chat's hold and just as Ladybug was about to tackle him he took off his own ring and threw it in frustration, it shocked the superhero duo, but they came to and purified the akuma.

Chat's and Ladybug's costumes fit properly once again and Louis was back in his normal clothes and was smiling.

"Thanks guys for everything."

"Wait," Chat interrupted, "D-do you remember everything?"

"Yeah, is that not normal?"

"No it's not." LB stated slightly confused. "I wonder why you can."

"I'm still wondering why you went by your real name instead of something Hawk Moth picked."

"I am never giving up that name, if someone writes my birth name on my tombstone i will rise from the grave and haunt them past the after life."

The two stood in silence.

"Well, I guess i'll have to see if I can stay at, "He glanced at ladybug, "a friend's or I may cut the trip short."

"Wait before you go can I ask you something?" Ladybug asked.

"Yeah?"

"How did you throw your ring and why?"

"Lot's of things were going on that old dude talking in my head, Chat trying to talk some sense into me, you bringing up my family, it was just a lot."

"Ah."

"Yeah so I guess I just broke, plus I really don't want people to go through this if they don't have to." He gestured to his body and Ladybug looked a little sad and then she heard beeping from her miraculous.

"Chat mind taking him?"

"_Oh _He can _take_ me anywhere."

Chat got super flustered as Ladybug tried her best to hold it together has she left


	11. Chapter 11

Louis was still with Mari and were playing some games while the sun set.

When she won for the sixth time in a row he said, "Ok I give I can't win." He looked over to her wall of Adrien, "Is it me or does he look like that kinky cat?"

"W-What NO NO WAY ADRIEN IS TO KIND AND SWEET TO BE THAT FLIRTATIOUS CAT!"

He turned back to her, "Know that I think about it you kind of look like Ladybug..."

"Wha-"_D__oes he know?!_

"Well I mean same body type same eyes same pigtails...There aren't that many people in Paris like that."

"But there's no way I'm her she's so brave and badass, I'm just clumsy that's it."

"Mari, you are the bravest person I know just tell me the truth."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Mari I can see the floating bug thing trying to hide on your bed...."

Marinette whipped her head to see Tikki's tail poking out from under a pillow. "Tikki!"

"I'm sorry Marinette I thought my tail was covered." She said shyly.

"I don't see what the big deal is here, you don't need to worry about it."

"There's everything to worry about, I could lose everyone I hold dear to me if anyone found out."

"Mari, you won't lose me or your really kinky cat." Louis just smiled and hugged her.

"Can you stop calling him kinky?" Louis let go of her.

"Honey, no one just puts on that much leather without a kink."

She laughed, "By the way don't you have to go back to Nice tomorrow?"

"Yeah, Kind of don't want to leave you, but at the same time I don't want to be in the same city as my grandparents."

"Yeah I get that, why don't we go to a cafe or something, you know as like a last hurrah?"

He smiled, nodded and they left.

* * *

Adrien was working at a shoot with his cousin watching over him.

"Come on-a I need a bigger smile just think of a pretty girl." The Italian photographer said.

He would have just thought of his Lady, but ever since he found out Marinette has been popping in his mind more often, nevertheless his smile grew.

Félix was just watching from the corner of the room, just waiting for it to be finished he had been there for at least four hours by now.

"Ok-a just a couple more."

_You said 'a couple' an hour ago._

But this time he meant it and called for everyone to go home.

"Finally that was taking forever." He said to Adrien.

"Nah, it actually went faster than usual. I'm starving could we grab a bit at the cafe across the street?"

"Fine."

* * *

Mari and Louis were waiting on their food when he spotted the model.

"Hey don't look now but your future husband is here."

She tensed up and blushed uncontrollably.

"Oh calm down he doesn't even know we're here."

She relaxed only to hear him call to her, "Oops spoke too soon."

"Hey Mari, what are you doing here?" He smiled.

"My my friend is leaving tomorrow s-so we thought it would be a good idea to go out and eat."

_Come on you've had to work on the project and had to go through a family dinner then technically asked him to do it again ugh!_

"Oh well why don't you guys sit with us and I don't believe we've met, I'm Adrien."

"_Nice_ to meet you too I'm Louis and who's the other dude?" He answered for himself seeing as Mari was still trying to grasp what was happening.

"That's my cousin," He gestured back to his table, "He's staying with me until he gets his own place."

Louis nodded and grabbed Marinette's hand and they followed him to the table.

"Who are these people?"

"These are some friends, this is Marinette and this is Louis."

Félix nodded and turned back a magazine article.

"Well Mari tells me you two are working on a project what is it?" asked Louis

"Ladybug and Chat Noir," Félix became stiff but still stayed silent, "oh that reminds me I finished the essay so when you're able to look at that text me."

"O-oh yeah, I'm still working on the slide show it's almost done, i've just been busy-"

"Adrien I think it's best if I start home, if you'll excuse me." _I am not going to listen to any Ladybug or Chat Noir if I can help it._

Adrien looked confused but waved as he left.

"Order for Marinette!"

"Coming! Excuse me." She got up and Louis was left to socialize with the boy.

"So I don't mean to pry but you kind of look like Kinky Noir." He smirked.

If he had been drinking something he would've spit it out "I-I don't see it and why are you calling him kinky?"

"Too much leather. But really just ruffle your hair a bit and you got him."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or-"

"Don't worry I'm not going to kink shame you."

"But I'm not Chat Noir-"

"Ok, I'm just saying, oh and could I have your number I could always have more friend up here."

"Uh y-yeah sure."

When Marinette returned with their food she saw a grinning Louis and a blushing Adrien.

* * *

Félix was walking around the streets of Paris remembering the memories of scaling the Eiffel Tower, and fighting evil. He looked up at the night sky also remembering the trick he played on Ladybug.

_God I am really stupid._

He was is a rougher part of the city, bars on windows, wheels stolen from bikes, a guy peeing on the street, not exactly the Paris from the postcards. He never felt unsafe though probably due to all of the fighting he did. Part of him missed those days and the other part regretted them, or well one day._  
_

Try to forget he kept wandering but then he heard a voice.

"Hey! Stop! Get the fuck away from me!"

_That sounds like..._

Before he knew what he was doing he was running to the voice. When he got to the source the sight shocked him.

They were in an alleyway behind a bar next to the dumpsters. A large man was blocking a girl in a corner. He could smell the alcohol from where he was.

"Bridgette!"

The sudden sound made her and a man look.

"F-Félix!?"

"Who the Hell are you her boyfriend."

Félix didn't respond but just walked over and said, "Come on I'll take you home." He held out his hand and she reached for it best she could. 

They may have a damaged past together, but she would take her stupid and selfish partner anyday over the bastard in between them.

"Oi I'm talking to ya!" He turned away from Bridgette and pulled his fist back trying to take a swing, only for the ex Chat to dodge it and nail him with his own punch.

He man fell to the ground and looked up with a confused expression, seeing as Félix was so slim.

Félix took this as an opportunity to grab her and move her behind away from him.

They started to run when Félix yelled "And for the record, I'm not her boyfriend."

* * *

They walked together in silence, he was the one to break it.

"You need to tell me where you live."

"Oh, it's about three streets over, in the apartments."

They kept walking. The silence was there again, it was odd they had known each other so well at one point in time, and now everything was just awkward between them.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?"

She shrugged, "I was out with a friend, but they ended up leaving with someone else. Then that guy kept hitting on me so I tried to leave out the back."

"Ah."

"Yeah not much to tell there."

"Um are you ok?"

"Yeah I've been through worse." She glanced at him.

There was another long moment of painful silence.

"I'm sorry."

She turned to look at him his expression was the same as ever, cold. "What?"

"I said sorry. I should have never done what I did to you." To anyone else it would sound fake, too mechanical to be a real apology.

"Yeah I am too, I wish we could have parted properly as partners instead of...that. But where did that come from?"

"Yeah...a lot has been on my mind lately that being one of them. I just felt I needed to try and apologize I was a selfish teenager how couldn't think passed himself and for that I am sorry."

She was taken back by this.

"You don't have to forgive me. I just needed to say it." He said rather hurriedly.

"I-I think I need some time to process that."

"That's ok take as long as you need." He felt oddly relieved not to be fully forgiven yet if at all, it was like some sort of justification that what he did was fucked up. 

"I-if you don't mind me asking what are you doing here, I thought you moved to England or something?" changing the subject.

"I did, but I came back."

"Why?"

He sighed, "So many questions, you haven't changed a bit."

"So far it can be said the same for you." She puffed her cheeks like a little kid that just got told that they couldn't play with a toy.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do I need a reason?" She seemed mad, but at the same time she wasn't. She had a lot of emotions going through her at that moment.

"I suppose not." They were getting closer to the complex when he saw a for rent sign.

"Are they renting out apartments?"

"Oh yeah a couple just moved out so they're renting it out, why?"

"I just got back I've been living with my uncle and cousin."

"Oh, well fair warning you would be moving next to me."

"Oh maybe I should just keep looking then and let some old perv take it." He joked, it was a very rare occasion.

"Ugh, I don't even want to think like that, the walls are way too thin, at least with you I could actually sleep." She laughed.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Aww did kitty get offended?" She asked as she rubbed his hair.

"Please stop."

"Fine but only cause you said please, and we're here." It was almost like the old times.

They walked up the stairs, "You don't need to walk me to the door."

"Already more then half way."

They walked a total of three flights and stood in front of the door, "I know this may be a weird thing to ask but is it possible for us to start over?" She asked.

"No," She stiffed and waited for a reason, but he smiled.

"But I think I'm open to trying friendship again. I just don't think it's a good idea to give me a clean slate."

"Yeah I should be more cautious with strays huh."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head, "How long are the cat jokes going to last?"

"Till I stop."


	12. Chapter 12

It was late at night, Louis had left that morning, and Mari was sitting on her bed with Tikki floating above her.

"How come he could remember everything?" She whispered it had been on her mind the whole time after the battle.

"Well he didn't give up his name, and in case you've forgot all of the villains say, 'I'm not Blah I'm Blha." She posed accordingly.

"Has that ever happened before?" She asked turning on her side to get more comfortable.

She looked up trying to remember but her head fell and looked at her lap, "I have no clue, I'm as old as the human race, I can't remember every single detail of every Ladybug." She said with a little sarcasm behind that cute voice.

"Ok I get it, but I still think it's weird." She stretched and yawned.

"Do you want another bedtime story?"

"Sure."

"Ok, well one time Ladybug was a Lordbug..."

* * *

"Rilla, Can you get me a beer!?" Everette yelled across the bar to the young girl with ivory skin and caramel hair braided to the side and fell over her left shoulder where her sleeve had fallen slightly.

"One moment I have to clean this first!" She yelled back at the olive eyed man with dark blond curls wearing gold and red earrings.

She finished cleaning and walked to him with a metal cup that had froth spilling over the top.

"Thanks Ri, what time you get off tonight?" He asked taking the cup.

"Oh much too late for a lord to be out." She played with her silver ring._ I don't care if this damn thing doesn't come off I am not kissing that lord douche._

"Then much too late for any young lady to be out as well." He smirked as he drunk.

"I live upstairs sire." She stated as she stopped playing with the metal band and smoothed her dirty apron.

"Right." He was trying to find the words.

"Now if you'll excuse me."

* * *

"Wait so Ladybug was the flirt and Chat was the one sick of it?"

"Yeah, but they were a great team, and they did end up together in the end it was odd though Everette only would flirt with Rilla and not when she was Chat, even when he figured it out, guess he was focused on fighting, wait...no"

* * *

"Come on Cat use the claw thing again!"

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I NEED TO TELL YOU BUG THAT I CAN ONLY USE IT ONCE YOU USE YOUR DAMN LUCKY CHARM!"

The real reason he never flirted with her as Chat was because she was terrifying.

He used his charm and got a frying pan, "Don't suppose you have a clue?"

"OH FOR THE LOVE A- JUST GIVE IT!" She threw it at the akumized person's face and hit them hard enough to knock them down, "Ok now purify it before they wake up."

He did and they heard a beep from Rilla, "Well see you later."

"Hey wait I have to tell you something."

"It will have to wait." She started to run.

"Rilla wait!"

She stopped in her tracks, "How did you know?"

"One night I was at the tavern and you were talking to this guy and you said, 'If I can beat you at arm wrestling then you have to stop annoying me,' it was the exact same thing you said to me, but the difference was that I won." He smiled at the memory.

"Yeah...and you sure as hell haven't stopped have you." There was another beep and she rushed around the corner.

He saw a flash of green and he called off his transformation and walked to her, she had her face in her hands.

"And I don't plan too." he lifted her head up and they looked into each other's eyes, he never noticed she had traces of silver in her chocolate eyes.

* * *

"Ok I'm stopping you there I don't want to hear about a makeout session."

"They didn't, me and Plagg didn't want that either so we butt in between their faces and started introducing ourselves. We tend to do that but I don't think I will for you."

"Why? because the chances on me and Chat getting together is none?" She laughed.

"Actually, because me and Plagg will be too busy laughing." She laughed as well.

"Why would you be laughing?" She stopped.

"Well me and Plagg can sense each other so we know who is who, but we made an oath a long time ago never to tell." She continued giggling.

"So you know who Chat is and Plagg knows who I am?"

"Yes, but don't worry we have never told, it takes all the fun out of it." She smiled.

Just then she heard a knock on the door above them.

Tikki hid as Mari walked to her balcony.

"What are you doing here Chat?"

* * *

_One hour earlier_

"Plagg I can't take this anymore I need to tell her." He was pacing back and forth in his room once again.

"What's the rush and i thought you wanted her to figure it out for herself." He said as he laid on Adrien's desk with cheese on his stomach.

"I do, but this feels like I'm lying to her, I just don't know what to do anymore." His hands were flying about as he tried to come up with a solution to his problem.

"Well I can't help you out, Tikki will think I told." He stuffed the cheese into his mouth.

"Huh?"

"Onmhp, ubhe oud iweuhdn-"

"Plagg, I can speak Chinese, French, and English, but I cannot speak cheese mouth." He stopped and crossed his arms.

"I said, 'oh, right i didn't tell you, me and her can sense each other."

"So, you knew?" His arms uncrossed.

"Yeah, but we made a pact not to tell, and if I give you any more ideas she'll think I stole from one of the previous."

"Oh come on just tell me how I can tell her, this is eating me away."

"Ugh will I get more cheese?"

"Yes, please!" He held his hands together in front of the black cat.

"Alright, then just think what's the first thing to come to your mind when you want to tell her."

He tilted his head towards the ceiling and put his hand to his chin, "uh, me as Chat and reading her a poem."

"Ok the Chat part is good, but something other than a poem."

"Then what climb her balcony rap my tail around her pull her close and tell her I love her?" He rambled and threw himself on his bed in frustration.

"Actually I have heard worse." He said as he floated over to him.

"I am not doing that." He turned his head to look at the Kwami.

"I'm just saying, at least it's not kidnapping."

"What???"

"Yeah. One Chat "loved" Ladybug so much that he decided to kidnap her."

"WHAT?! How can you say that so casually??"

"Probably because she kidnapped him first. They had a really weird relationship."

"But why?"

"Beats me the 500s was a weird time."

"Wait 500s like King Arthur and Knights?"

"Oh my bad 500 BC. But Morgan should have never gotten a miraculous..." Plagg started mumbling incoherently to himself.

"Plagg?"

"Sorry Morgan had always been a sore spot for me."

"What happened?"

Plagg looked as though he was getting war flashbacks, "I don't want to talk about it."_ all that cheese to waste....only the truly evil would so that_

"Ok? so moving back to the original topic, what do I do?

"Why don't you just tell her, she may not figure it out, but you'd be able to bring me cheese and stop pestering me about it."

"Why don't I? Plagg-"

"Hmm?"

"Claw's out!"


	13. Chapter 13

Félix was in his room, staring at the ceiling playing with a broken ring when he heard Adrien talking with someone but dismissed it as teenage ranting, however it was starting to get annoying.

_What on Earth is he talking about all I hear is something about 'her' and 'cheese'...wait._

He got up, walked to the wall and pressed his ear against it. _Please don't be what I think it is._

What he heard next confirmed his thought.

"Plagg, Claws out!"

_No. no not him. He's out there risking his life for people he doesn't even know! Are you kidding me I can't lose him! He's the only one who never hated me, sure Bridgette forgave me but she hated me too I know it, it's all my fault it should still be me out there, Not Him._

His mind went crazy with what ifs then the next thing he knew was a little butterfly landed on the ring.

"Well this is a surprise." said a voice much deeper than his.

"What the Fuck are you doing." Félix commanded.

"I just want to make a deal, you want to make sure you're precious cousin doesn't get hurt, and in return I want, well I'm sure you know the drill."

Félix was torn, he wanted to save his cousin, but to make a deal with Hawk Moth was something he would never forgive himself for.

"You promise you won't hurt him?"

"Yes, I give you my word."

"You're not going to make me fight him?"

"No you don't have to fight him."

"So am I supposed to be a villain the entire time, or do I keep my civilian form as well."

"That depends do we have a deal?"

He hesitated, but in the end, "Deal."

He transformed and walked to his mirror, he saw his old costume except it was white.

"Hello, Chat Blanc. First thing I want to to do is get Chat Noir."

"But you said-" His head started screaming. It was like he didn't have complete control. 

"I lied." He laughed.

* * *

Félix saw Adrien pacing on a rooftop he stopped and hid behind a chimney.

"What do I tell her, I can't just go 'Hey Mari I know you're My Lady, and will you be my girlfriend oh by the way I'm the guy you have a crush on' Ugh what did I get myself into." He shook his head and stared at the next roof over.

_Oh that must be her place._ He ran just underneath Adrien's line of sight and landed on her balcony, and tapped on the door.

He heard footsteps coming up and hid in the shadows.

"Chat what are you doing here?" She asked seeing his silhouette.

"Oh just luring out the real Chat." He stepped towards her and grabbed her, then leapt off the building.

She screamed at the sudden force. The next thing she knew she couldn't see.

* * *

Adrien turned his head at the burst of panic.

The next thing he knew he was chasing after her calling to her, "Mari!"

When he leapt on her roof, he collided with a red thing flying around in fear then stopped and grabbed his nose, "WHERE IS SHE YOU CAT!"

"I'm trying to save her she just got kidnapped, and will you stop shaking my face!"

She stopped but went on mumbling to herself close to tears.

He looked around for a sign of where they went and couldn't see.

He started to shake, _You can't panic if you do she won't be saved_

"Hey," He said as calmly as he could to the red kwami but she still kept mumbling, "Hey!" She still mumbled and sniffed, "HEY TIKKI!"

She spun to look at him still tears in her eyes, "How..."

"Nevermind how I know your name, but did you see or hear anything?"

She shook her head, "No all I heard was her scream and...WAIT SHE SAID CHAT SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS TALKING TO YOU!"

"Ok calm down we can do this, what we need is a plan." _And that was never your _cat_egory OMG this is not the time for puns!_

"Ok ok you're right, I could go get help, maybe Fu could, oh no he can't transform properly any more."

"Come on, there must be someone, what about the old LB?" He asked his voice starting to break.

"I don't even know where she is or if she'd be able."

"Why don't we just go in and rescue her we can get him after, but let's find her and just get her out of there."

"Yeah they can't be that far." and they both ran.

* * *

Marinette was lying on concrete against a wall tied up and blindfolded. She could hear some cars so she assumed she wasn't too far from the street. She needed a plan. 

_Ok so if Chat doesn't show I need to get this blindfold off and get the hell out of here. But Chat saw me get kidnapped so he should come. In that case they would probably fight giving time for me to actually get out of these. Wait he wants Chat here...why?_

"Trying to come up with a plan Missy?" Chat Blanc asked

"Ok look fake Chat can you at least tell me where we are and how the hell you're going to lure Chat here." She knew he was close, she could just feel it.

"You don't need to know where we are, as for Chat Noir, he would do anything for his Lady wouldn't he?" He sat in a wooden chair smirking, facing her and saw her stiffen.

"What?"

"You heard me, but don't worry I won't take your _purr_ecious earrings until that cat gets here."

"How did you?"

"I don't think I'll tell you." He got up and walked a little observing the windows and one door, "I will tell you this though, you look just like her. I guess Tikki has a type."

"I don't understand."

"You know your kwami, Tikki, the last Ladybug looks like she could be your twin."

"No, I don't care about that I mean how do you know Tikki!?" she started to struggle against the ropes again.

"Wow, no wonder you can't figure out who your Chat is. I'll spell it out for you, I'm. The. Old. Chat. Noir." He walked around her.

"She told me you were fucked up."

"Now I doubt she said that." He lifted her to a standing position and toyed with her earrings.

"I might be paraphrasing a little." she was terrified but she had to be brave.

"Oh I'm sure." He continued to play with her earrings, "Tell me are these more red or black."

She decided to stay quiet.

"Hmm what's the matter cat got your tongue."

"I can't believe you would do something so horrible to the previous Ladybug." His claws started to lightly grip her throat.

"I had my reasons, besides I would watch what I say if I were you."

"You did the worst thing possible to get the ring off."

"What do you know about any of that Tikki didn't know shit and Plagg isn't exactly the best at telling a story."

"You played with her feelings just so you could get that damn ring off and stop being Chat Noir." She wanted to yell but figured stating it calmly would be a little more beneficial.

His claws pinched her neck, "I am sure I told you to watch it."

_ **CRASH** _

They jumped, Chat Blanc switched into a fighting stance causing Marinette to fall onto the floor.

"OK NOW WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH MARI!"


	14. Chapter 14

"Nice of you to finally show up," the imposter announces, straightening out of his fighting pose, "For a moment I thought you were actually going to let me get away with stealing your Princess." He smirks, pulling his baton free and twirling it casually. "That's what you call her right?"

Adrien follows suit, forming his staff, and looking at Mari and wanting to kill him, but keeping what little composure he could he mutters.

"Tikki go take care of Mari and I'll take care of this cat burglar."

He circles the room, lightly spinning the staff in a loose infinity sign, placing his back to Marinette. "Like I would ever allow someone to harm her!"

"And that is the problem." He stops twirling and throws his baton, knocking away Chat Noir's staff.

He lunges at the black cat, crossing the room in an instant and pinning him against the wall with a forearm.

"Always willing to put your life on the line for someone who doesn't love you. That's why white is the new black, kitten, no worthless ties between partners." He smirks, the false smile not reaching his eyes.

Adrien places his hands against the wall, pulling his legs up and kicking out against Chat Blanc's chest. He stumbles back but regains his balance easily, hissing at Adrien.

"Our friendship is not worthless." He says, glancing about, looking for the lost weapons.

The white cat just shrugs, laughing."Poor, pathetic kitten doesn't know his place."

Giving up on the search he focuses back on Chat Blanc and bolts across the room. He slides between the white cats' legs and grabs his tail, pulling him down to the concrete floor.

* * *

"Come on Tikki can't you go any faster." Marinette whispers. Her blindfold is starting to slip but her arms and legs were still tied.

"I'm trying it's kind of hard when you don't have thumbs." She stated as she resorted to biting the ropes.

* * *

Jumping up quickly, Adrien plants his feet on Chat Blanc's wrists. "I know my place and it's by My Lady's side, unlike you, who is just a pawn to Hawkmoth."

Rolling his eyes, the white cat chuckles, "No one controls me, silly kitten." He grabs Adrien's ankles, pushing against his shins, making him fall off and land on his ass.

Scooting backward away from Chat Blanc, Adrien chances a glance toward Marinette. _Damn, she's not free yet._

Climbing to his feet, Adrien glares at the white cat. "Says the guy who is currently akumatized."

"You know you really do an awful lot of chatting..." he says, walking towards where Mari is, hands clasped behind his back.

"Stop Right There!" Adrien growls, preparing to summon his Cataclysm causing all but Blanc to freeze for a moment." Touch her and I'll get to find out what would happen if I use it on a person."

He keeps walking almost nudging her as he walks by,"It shuts down major organs but I'm just retrieving my weapon, would you like yours?" he asks politely, tossing it to Chat Noir's feet. He picks it up, his eyes never leaving Chat Blanc, daring him to harm his Lady.

The cat stops near her head and stares down, "Your loyalty to her is going to be your downfall."

She moves her head towards the sound of his voice, her eyes just peeking over the blindfold, and spits, landing on his pristine white shoes.

He crouches down and glares into her eyes, "Maybe I should just end her now so we can have a proper fight without feelings. Wouldn't that be nice?" he pauses, glancing at Adrien.

"DONE!" Tikki yells as Marinette swings her legs, bringing Chat Blanc down hard on the concrete. She leaps up and rips off her blindfold.

Adrien runs to her side, and points his staff at the white cat's throat. "Are you okay Marinette?"

"I'm fine." she says, darting a glance at Chat Noir, while shifting her weight to one side.

"Anything left to say?" Adrien directs at Chat Blanc, "Or does the cat finally have your tongue?"

"Yes as a matter of fact." He says, pawing at the staff.

"Goodbye, dear Cousin."

He kicks up, sending the staff flying towards Marinette.

Adrien tackles her out of the way as the white cat jumps up and onto the broken window sill, having managed to recover his fallen weapon.

"This was too much fun, we will have to do this again soon." he reaches up and pulls himself onto the roof, disappearing out of sight.

He lifts himself off of her and sits on his legs feeling the adrenaline leave his body and being replaced with all of his emotions.

"Hey...Chat?" Mari said suddenly feeling nervous as she put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

He didn't let her finish as he twisted around and pulled her into a tight hug, "I was so scared." He muttered into the side of her neck.

She didn't know what to do but just hugged him back and she felt her shoulder become damp.

"Chat...Are you crying?"

"Of course I am I could've lost you."

"Chat, I'm fine-"

"No you got hurt don't think I didn't notice."

"Chat look at me," She pulled out of the hug and put his face in her hands, "I'm here, yes I may have hurt my ankle a bit but I'm fine."

"What are we gonna do?" He felt relief being able to ask her, she always had a plan.

"Well first priority is finding a safe spot for both of us."

"Actually, I know a spot." Tikki chimed in.

Marinette was finally able to process that Tikki was with Chat and Chat knew Tikki...He knows. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth could've dropped to the floor.

"Princess, what's wrong?"

"You know."

Chat stammered trying to find the words, but as luck would have it police sirens were approaching.

"Come on guys we need to go." Tikki said as she flew to Mari.

They started to run, but Mari was having trouble keeping up.

What does Chat do? Pick her up and run with her.

* * *

They were quite a few blocks away when Chat hears Mari, "Chat how.." He insisted on carrying her the whole way, she was on his back arms looped around him. He had hoped she had fallen asleep on the way.

"Am I this strong? Glad you noticed." He wanted to wait till the morning for the conversation she was wanting to have.

"Chat I'm _yawn_ serious." She was very tired and barely had the energy to hold on to him.

"I know Princess, but why don't we wait to talk about that in the morning."

She lightly punched his chest, "You better not run when we do than."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"This is the spot." Tikki stopped over a manhole.

"Please tell me you're joking."

"No and it's fine, it's not even connected to the sewer, it's just a hole in the ground."

"Alright fine, hey Mari." He nudged her by a slight bounce.

"We're here. We have to go down a hole can you do that."

She sleepily nodded as Tikki lifted the sewer hatch.

When they were all down the hole Chat looked around and said, "This is one fancy hole in the ground."

The walls were smoothed brick with lights all around and the floor was also brick but there were rugs all over the floor. There was a desk with an older computer playing what looked like a security feed. In the corner was a small kitchen and across was a large bed which Marinette had collapsed on.

"Tikki, how does this place have any electricity?"

"There's a generator in the bathroom." She gestured to an area blocked off by a dark, thick curtain.

"Ah. And how his this place here?"

"It was a hideout for the previous," She saw some panic form on his face, "But don't worry, only me and Plagg can open it."

"Ok, and that reminds me, Claws off."

"Dude I need cheese and-" He looked around, "What happened?"

"I need sleep, Tikki can explain." He walked to the bed, thankful that Mari didn't take up the whole thing, he got in and tucked her in as well.

"Wait Tikki?"

"Hey Plagg, so I'll start where I came in..."


	15. Chapter 15

Adrien woke up before Mari, it took him a minute to remember where he was as last night's events filled his head.

He rolled over in the bed and looked at his Lady beside him, he had to tell her somehow. The Kawmies were already up so he got out of the bed and went to them.

"Guys what do I do?"

"How should I know I've been deprived of my beloved cheese." Plagg stated as Adrien rolled his eyes and threw him a piece.

"Well, I think you should tell her parents so they won't worry." Tikki said as she is the voice of reason.

"Oh Shit. Yeah I should do that, but I was actually asking about telling her who I am."

"Just tell her the truth. And tell her parents and your father that you will be fine and that Chat and Ladybug are keeping you safe, don't worry too much about it."

"But what if she gets mad, what if she wants me to stop being Chat Noir, what if-

"Adrien she won't make you give up anything, but please go tell her parents before they start to worry."

He nodded and transformed causing Plagg to yell about him not finishing his cheese.

* * *

When Mari woke up she saw Chat talking with Tikki.

"So everything is ok right her parents know and so does your dad?"

"Yeah they know. They even gave me some of her clothes and my father well...it was kind of weird."

"What's going on?" Mari chimed in.

"Oh I just visited your parents and told them that you were safe and that they don't need to worry, they gave me some clothes here."

She took the bag and looked at Tikki, "Can I have a word with him...alone."

_WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT ARE WE ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT THE THING? I'M NOT READY!_

"Of course Mari I'll be over there if you need me."

"Chat how long have you known?" She said real quietly almost a whisper.

"Umm about two weeks, I'm really sorry I justdidn'tknowhowtosayitand-"

"Chat it's fine I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

"No, but how did you figure it out?"

"Well, when we were up in the tower I was able to piece it together." He started to play with his belt to help his nerves.

"Oh, so you like actually know me?" She walked closer to him studying his face

"Y-yeah."

"And I know you?"

He gave a slight chuckle and leaned in, "Yeah, you know me purrity well." he winked.

"Chat I'm trying to be serious." She took a step back and crossed her arms.

"I am too my Lady, it's just that I'm-"

"Chat I don't what to know who you are." She cut him off, and then his face went from playful to hurt.

"I-I mean that I want to guess who you are n-not that I don't want to know who you are just you figured it out and I want to too and-"

"Mari! It's ok but breath."

"Sorry."

"Don't be, I get it."

"Ok good now we should move onto more important stuff."

"What can be more important that you Purrinces?"

She rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose "Oh I don't know, how about the villain who kidnapped me and is still out there?"

"Ok...yeah for now that has a slight priority." He started to go to the door to get above ground.

Mari attempted to follow but, "Chat."

He turned around and saw her still limping, "Mari." He went back to her, picked her up and carried her to the bed. "Why don't you say here until that gets better."

"But I need to go with you."

"Not till you can walk properly, until then I'll just hunt for Blanc."

"What will you do when you find him."

"I have no Idea."

"He said he was your cousin didn't he?"

"Yeah but I have no clue where he would go."

"Tikki I need you to do me a favor."

She flew over, "What is it Marionette?"

"I need you to go with him, and I need you to tell us everything about him, and the name of the last Ladybug."

* * *

Bridgette was in her small kitchen eating some cereal when she heard a tap on her window, she sat her bowl down and went to it.

She saw her Chat in white and her face went from curiosity to horror.

"Félix what happened!?" she hurriedly opened the window.

"Long story short I freaked out."

"No I need the long story."

He was pulled in and guided to a chair.

"Fine well-"

_One hour later_

"And Then I left."

"So your cousin is the new Chat, and he's in love with the new Ladybug?"

"Yeah."

"And that freaked you out."

"Yes."

"And now you got akumaizied by the butterfly."

"Correct again."

"Ok now my question is why are you here."

"You are the only one who can help."

She went to a cabinet.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking precaution." She lassoed him and tied him to the chair.

"What the fuck! Why do you have rope in your kitchen!"

"Long story. Did you really think I would fall for that?"

"..so you saw what I was doing?" He looked down as he heard the voice scream in his head.

"Of course I did, you and I both know that Mr. Butterfly loves having complete control and the longer you're possessed the more he has."

Blanc started to growl and struggle against the restraints.

"Save it kitty soon we'll get you back to normal." She heard a banging on her door.

"Hey Bridgette it's Chat Noir I need to talk with you!"

She went to the door and let him in, "Nice of you to come,but where's Ladybug?"

"She was unable to come, but we need your help. Do you know where-"

"He's in the kitchen tied up."

"..What."

"Just follow me, but is that all?"

Tikki appeared from behind Chat, "Well, would you mind driving us back to the hideout?"

She smiled at her old friend, "I would love too."

"Oh well isn't it my favorite cousin." Blanc stated as they entered the kitchen.

"Félix come with us we will help."

"You'll have to catch me first."

He sprung up from the chair and bolted to the window only to be hit with a flying frying pan causing him to fall.

"Silly kitty I thought you learned a long time ago I was faster, ok help me get him in the car."

* * *

They were all in the hideout around the tied up cat trying to figure out how to get him back.

"Well isn't it simple just turn into LB, break something, and purify the akuma." Said Bridgette sitting on the counter.

Marinette replied from the table next to Chat Noir "Well yes but I have no clue what it could be that I would need to break there's no necklace, paper, or anything really."

"What about the ring?" He chimed in.

"What ring?"

Bridgette's and Adrian's eyes widened and looked at his hands, no ring.

"Did it fall off somewhere?" Chat asked looking around on the floor.

"I'll look in my car!" She said running to the hatch with Tikki opening it.

They all looked and looked for the ring under the bed, chairs, Bridgette even went back to her apartment to look, they couldn't find it.

"Mari, we need to find it, it has to be what the akuma is in."

"Chat it'll be ok we will but we've looked everywhere here, it may be at her place-"

"Wait, what if he hid it?"

"Why would he hide it?"

"What if he knew that Bridgette would beat him and wanted to make sure it wouldn't be broken."

"Ok, that is definitely a possibility, but where would he?"

* * *

_Last night after the battle_

"Goodbye, dear cousin." He leapt to the roof and ran until he felt safe enough to stop for a short breath.

"Why didn't you finish them you could have taken Ladybug's miraculous!" screamed Hawkmoth causing Chat to grab his ears.

"I'm not doing this for you remember, I just want him to be safe, and you were controlling my actions not me."

"Yes, so how did you stop?"

"I am not alone in my thoughts anymore, you know I have a plan."

"Of course I do! But your head is so terribly sporadic that I'm having a bit of trouble following."

"Well let's just say I know someone you'll be interested in, but first I need to hide this." He took off his ring and started to leap from building to building.

"Where are you going to hide it?"

"Oh I'm thinking the house will do nicely, it's big and many, rooms, some that Adrien doesn't even know about, wouldn't you say..."

"What are you implying?" His voice wavered.

"Don't play dumb with me, be happy I didn't figure it out when I was Chat Noir, Uncle."

"I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to sound convincing.

"It's obvious, your voice, and one a few occasions you almost called me Félix instead of Chat Blanc. I never told you my name so that means you know me."

"I'm in your mind you know."

"Yes, but you can't seem to follow it either."

"Ugghh, I don't care, just go hide the damn thing."

"Stop denying it, you and I both know the truth."

"Alright fine."

"Ok now I'll hide it in my room, and if I may be so bold, it would seem like I care more about Adrien then you do." His own hand was around his throat.

"_If you dare say something like that again I will end you, even if you are family. Now hide the damn thing and carry out your plan._"

"Ok ok I will but for this to work I need to also send something to the person with a note attached.

"I don't care just get it done."

* * *

_Present day: Bridgette's_

"Where is that ring it has to be here somewhere." She looked all over in her kitchen, the window, even under the couch in another room, nothing.

She heard a knock at her door, "Coming!"

"Hello?" She answered the door to find a delivery man."

"Hi does a Bridgette..uhh Cheg live here?"

She sighed at her name being mispronounced..again, but replied, "Yeah that's me."

"Sign here please." She signed and he left.

She opened the small package to find an old picture of herself as Ladybug and her Chat with a sticky note on it in what looked like Chinese.

"What the hell, this isn't even a language it's just scribble." She turned it to see if there was something she was missing.

When she couldn't find anything in that she placed it down, and looked at the picture again, his arm was around her as she stood with an awkward smile in front of the Eiffel Tower. She remembered that day, it was the day before he broke her heart, the last day of them being partners.

She really missed those days. She missed being Ladybug. She missed her kitten. 

Before she knew it she was crying and then a lovely purple butterfly landed in her hair tie.

"Well looks like his stupid plan actually worked."

"Fuck."

"Now no need for that kind of language, you want those days back where you and him were happy, before all that mess."

"Well of course, but you can't help and it would just end up being the same."

"Oh but I can once you get me Ladybug's and Chat Noire's miraculouses I will give them back to you, I will retire and you can put the past behind you and start a new."

"How do I know you're not lying."

"You don't, but it's not like you have a choice now is it."

After he said that she was transformed into her old costume as well but black with white spots.

"Now Black-Bug get Chat Blanc and get the miraculouses."

She had tears in her eyes as she responded against her will, "Yes Sir."


	16. Chapter 16

* * *

"Where is Bridgette?" Marinette mumbles to herself, playing with the little ribbons in her hair, sitting in a chair across from Chat Blanc, "She's been gone too long."

"And yet another thing to add to your growing list of flaws as Ladybug." the white cat sneers, rolling his eyes, "Worrying, ha, it's making my short interlude of being captured oh so interesting." his tail flicks back and forth, taunting them.

Chat Noir stands up from sitting on the bed and crosses quickly to his cousin, spinning the tied up cat and facing him towards the corner, "Quit mewling about your own flaws and leave My Lady alone." He returns to conversing with Tikki on the far side of the bunker, flicking his tail angrily as he goes.

Adrien whispers under his breath, "This isn't my cousin: arrogant, cruel, and foul-mouthed."

"Stop muttering and tell me what you were going to say." Tikki said hovering extremely close to his face.

He gently pushes her away and lowered his voice to the point where Tikki could barely hear him, "Ok look I'm still freaking out over me knowing and her not knowing."

"Ok and?"

"Well I know you know who I am, but she is just so, so.."

"Clueless? Blinded? I have a whole list."

"No-well yeah but I mean that I want to give her hints; I just don't know what to do, exactly, where it's enough for her but not just going 'hey Mari I'm the guy you have plastered all over your room."

"Yes I see your point Alya even photoshopped you to look like Chat and she still didn't get it."

"Would you help her piece it together?"

"I'll do my best."

"Tha-" They heard a loud bang on the hatch.

"WHO'S THERE?" Chat Blanc yells, startling everyone, and starts laughing to himself, earning a glare from Tikki. He plants his feet on the wall and leans back precariously on the back chair legs.

Marinette stands up and limps over towards the hatch and peers upward, "Should I transform?"

"Nah, its just Bridgette," Tikki says, floating over towards the closed hatch.

Chat Blanc scoffs, shoving himself further away from the wall and flipping his head over the back of the chair, hair pointing straight towards the floor, "Because this totally isn't a trap or nothing." He bares his teeth.

Another bang sounds against the hatch.

"We'll get it." Marinette says, climbing the ladder while Tikki flips the latch. The cover flips open forcefully and a black-clad hand reaches into the bunker, grabbing onto the front of Marinette's shirt, yanking her off the ladder and up to the street above.

"Marinette!" Adrien yells, "Tikki stay safe!" He vaults up the ladder and into the open street, pulling free his staff as he goes.

"That was too easy," a voice says from behind him, accompanying a swift kick to his spine, sending him into the alley wall.

Adrien groans and turns towards his attacker, searching the alleyway for Marinette.

"Here Kitty Kitty," says a woman dressed in a Ladybug outfit, except with white spots and a black base. She has Marinette pinned against the wall by the throat, almost suffocating her.

"It's... it's Bridgette." sputters Marinette, choking for air. "It's Bridgette." Concern flashes in her eyes.

Adrien growls, spinning his staff in his hands,"Let. My Lady. Go." He crouches, preparing to fight, "NOW!"

"Sure, I'll let your princess go, just as soon as you release MY little white kitten," she smiles a sad smile, she loosens her hold on Marinette and she gasps for air, "sound like a fair trade?" Bridgette tilts her head, as if considering the offer herself.

Adrien is sent reeling,_ Fair deal? She's everything to me she's hurting I-I can't let this keep happening I either need to do as she says or...or_

"Chat...don't." Marinette coughs out. Bridgette's grip tightens on her throat, surely to leave bruises later.

He rises a bit, slumped with his head turned away from her and puts his staff away, defeated he says, "Deal." _You can't even look her in the eye..._

"Good Kitty," Bridgette croons,"Now fetch my kitten." She crouches down, dragging Marinette with her towards the ground, and loosens her grip again, allowing her to breathe easily. "And send Tikki up here, I don't want you two planning anything stupid, right?" She boops Marinette on the nose with a finger.

Adrien simply turns toward the bunker entrance and drops into the hole, he glances up and sees Tikki go through the hatch into the alley, clearly having heard the whole conversation. He walks toward the corner where his cousin still sits, balanced against the wall, head flipped back over the chair.

"Give up," Chat Blanc hisses as Adrien starts untying the ropes, "We've already won, dearest cousin." He laughs wickedly and throws his head back further, causing the chair to topple over in a crash onto the concrete floor. The chair breaks and pieces of wood fly everywhere.

Chat Blanc pulls himself to his feet, "Now THAT was too easy. Should have done that earlier." He smiles and ruffles Adrien's hair.

Adrien grabs his hand and swings him around, pushing Chat Blanc up against the wall.

"You, are not my cousin." Adrien growls low in his throat, threateningly.

He laughs again, "You're right," he sighs, a mischievous glint in his eyes,"I'm better than Félix, smarter than him, and I will NOT make the same mistakes he did." He shoves Adrien off himself and begins to climb the ladder.

He turns back and sneers, "See you soon, Kitten."

* * *

Marinette!" Adrien yells, climbing up the ladder quickly into the street above. He spins around searching the alley blindly and pulls his baton free again.

A whistle sounds from up above, he looks up and sees Marinette on the rooftop, already transformed into Ladybug.

"You coming or what Chaton?"

* * *

_Excellent work, Black Bug." _Hawkmoth whispers in Bridgette's head,"_Now come up with a plan and get the miraculouses!"_

She groans and rubs her eyes, feeling Hawkmoth leave her mind, and glances over to Chat Blanc, whose sitting on the top of his staff looking bored.

"What the Butterfly want?" he quirked his head to the left and yawns, "He doesn't like talking to me."

Bridgette stalks over to him and knocks the staff off balance, dislodging the cat from his perch. He lands lightly on his feet and picks up his fallen weapon, shooting daggers at her. "What was THAT for?" he growls in the back of his throat.

"Let's get a move on." She says simply, pulling free her white speckled yo-yo and swinging to the next rooftop.

Chat Blanc vaults after her and grabs her arm before she can swing again, "Where are you going, Purrincess?" he purrs.

Bridgette whips around and shoves his arm away, swinging her yo-yo in a wide arc and causing it to wrap tightly around Chat Blanc's wrists. She shoves him towards the edge of the roof and pins him against the railing, almost throwing him off.

"I am going to retrieve your miraculous," she says viciously in his ear, "because without it we have no chance of luring Ladybug and Chat Noir. Now we need to be in the same place as them in order to steal their miraculouses right?"

He laughs and bares his teeth, "But how will they know I have my ring on me?"

She pulls back and looks into his eyes, loosening the cord on his wrists slightly, "Oh, just a minor cataclysm or something else should do the trick, don't you think?" she sneers. She unravels the cord quickly and takes a small step back, waiting for his answer.

Chat Blanc looks down and rubs his wrists,"You know, you are a lot smarter than I ever gave you credit for before."

He glances up again and catches the punch aimed for his nose. Hurt flashes across his face as he loosens his grip, barely enough for her to pull away.

* * *

"Where could they have gone?" Chat Noir mutters to himself, pacing, "What are they after besides the miraculouses?"

Ladybug is sitting on the railing, looking out on the city through her yo-yo, zooming in on anything that could be Chat Blanc or Bridgette.

"Anything, everything, there is no telling what caused them to be akumatized." She sighs and puts away the yo-yo, glancing over towards her partner, whose stopped pacing. He stares at the ground, green eyes wide with shock and realization.

Marinette stands up and walks slowly over to Chat Noir, "What is it?"

"It's my fault." he says quietly, almost whispering, "I'm the reason they were akumatized."

"That's-" An explosion rocks the building, knocking Ladybug and Chat Noir down and silencing their conversation. They stumble to their feet, darting to the side of the roof to see what happened. Plumes of black smoke climbed into the air somewhere close to the river, drowning out the sky above.

Chat Noir wrinkles his nose as the wind blows the acrid stench towards them. "That was over near the Pont des Arts." He pulls free his baton and zooms in towards the black smoke.

Marinette detaches her yo-yo and prepares to swing, "Come on, kitty, there are only two people who could cause that much destruction.

* * *

Bridgette leans against a light post, watching the Chat Blanc throw the last of the dynamite into the clouds of smoke. She thinks to herself, _5..4..3..2..1..._

The explosion is deafening, it cracks the concrete all along the river and sends pieces flying into the river. She hears Chat Blanc laugh maniacally through the smoke, the ringing fading from her ears as footsteps stop behind her.

"Do you like my little Jinx, Ladybug?" Bridgette says, shoving away from the post and turning to face Ladybug, "I thought the dynamite was a little much but my kitten seems to be enjoying himself." She smirks, unwrapping her black yo-yo from her waist.

"Neither of you will be having much fun after today!" Chat Noir exclaims from somewhere within the smoke, drawing a hiss from Chat Blanc. The sounds of ringing staffs emerge from the smoke.

Bridgette turns and flings her yo-yo towards Ladybug, catching her off guard and eliciting a shriek. Ladybug rolls out of the way, darting off into the smoke in the direction of the destroyed bridge and the ringing staffs.

Bridgette reels in the string of the yo-yo, whipping it above her head in a circle, and starts to clear away the lingering vapors, "Come here, Bugaboo! Let the kittens play by themselves!"

Ladybug launches out of the smoke, knocking over Bridgette and sending them sliding over the broken concrete and into the railing of the river. Ladybug jumps up and grabs onto the cord of Bridgette's yo-yo, attempting to pull it away.

Bridgette plants her feet onto the wall and shoves, sliding between Ladybug's legs and wrapping the cord around her injured ankle. Bridgette pulls the cord tight, cutting into Ladybugs' leg and dragging her to the ground.

"Let go!" Ladybug screams in pain, struggling against Bridgette as she stands up, her palms stinging from embedded concrete.

"Aww sweetie, that is not where my akuma is hiding." Bridgette sneers, pulling the cord tighter around Ladybug,"Too bad you aren't going to get another shot at finding it." She stretches out the cord and snaps it like a whip, turning it into a length of barbed wire.

* * *

"Give. up." Chat Blanc grunts, swinging his staff towards Adriens' head, forcing him to flip out of the way. Adrien lands on his feet and crouches, avoiding another swing and swipes his cousins' feet out with his staff.

Chat Blanc hits the ground and pivots, avoiding the point of Adriens' staff. He flips himself up, landing on his feet, and dodges to the left, his back towards the river.

Adrien swings his staff in a wide arc, forcing Chat Blanc to retreat, closer and closer towards the broken bridge.

"I will not give up," growls Adrien, taking another swipe at his cousin,"Not til this is over." _Not til you are back..._

Chat Blanc dodges to the right, out of the way, but Adrien swings his staff full circle, catching his cousin in the back and sending him flying across the ground, landing face down, his nose cracking against the concrete.

Adrien jumps up and walks slowly towards Chat Blanc, whose rolled over onto his back, blood pouring out of his nose. Adrien kicks the white staff away, sending it flying into the river, and comes to stand over his cousin.

He sighs, kneeling down next to his cousin, "Just let me end this, Félix. I know I am the reason you were akumatized."

Chat Blanc groans, pushing himself into a sitting position and spits blood out of his mouth, "Don't pride yourself on that kitten."

"Just let me fix this mistake." Adrien closes his staff and places it on his back, while offering his hand to Chat Blanc.

A wet laugh escapes from Chat Blanc as he slaps away Adrien's hand, "Only if you allow me to fix my mistake first."

"What mistake?"

Hawkmoth yells in Félix's head, "JUST GET HIM!"

"Everything is my fault, you," Félix's eyes swim in and out of focus, he whispers, "her." He lunges forward, grabbing his cousin by the shoulders and almost knocking him over. His claws dig into Adriens' shoulder, ripping the fabric covering his arms and drawing pinpricks of blood.

_I just wanted to protect you. I am trying to protect you. I will win. ... ... Hawkmoth is helping us... He is going to make it right... We Are Protecting You!_

"I will save you." he locks eyes with his younger cousin, seeing a mixture of fear and pain in those green eyes.

Chat Noir growls, leaning back and kicking Chat Blanc in the stomach, sending his cousin flying. He lands on his back, near the edge of the broken concrete, nearly falling into the river below.

Adrien stumbles, trying to gain his footing on the destroyed ground. He watches as Chat Blanc struggles to his feet, searching for the white staff and not finding it. He looks down, blood spattering his pristine white shoes.

He shakes his head and glances up, meeting Adriens' green eyes, a sad smile on his bloody face.

"CATACLYSM!"

* * *

The ground crumbles beneath Marinette, separating her from Black Bug. She tumbles down, into the void created by Chat Blanc's cataclysm, and splashes into a shallow pool of water. She pushes herself up, struggling to stand on her bleeding leg.

"CHAT NOIR!" she yells, stumbling to find purchase on the slippery ground, the pool of water already tinged bloodred.

"Over here!" a muffled voice calls from above.

Marinette looks up, towards the top of the hole, and sees a darkened shape peering down at her.

"Throw your yo-yo, M'lady!" He calls down,"I'll catch it!"

"Ok!" Marinette yells back, fumbling to reel in her yo-yo. She reaches back and launches it, high over the rim of the crater.

A loud thwack, followed by a groan comes from the top,"Nice aim, Purrincess." grumbles Chat from above, "Alright, hold on tight!"

Marinette wraps the cord around her wrist and yanks, pulling it taut. "Ready!" she yells as he begins pulling on it.

The trip up is slow and painful, with Marinette slamming into the wall of the crater several times, causing her leg to bleed profusely. Her wrist starts to throb when she finally pulls herself over the edge, flopping on her back as a flare of pain rips a scream from her throat.

A flash of red and white crosses her field of vision,"Tsk tsk tsk, I really do not know what my purrecious cousin sees in you." he crouches next to her and grabs her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes, "Now are you going to scream again for me, Bugaboo? Or do I have to make you?" he sneers.

* * *

_Dumb cat... He could have warned me, _Bridgette thinks to herself, _Now I'm stuck in this fucking crater!_

Rocks are being thrown off to her right, clattering against the walls and stirring up more dust. Bridgette shoves herself off the ground, her palms dripping with blood and stumbles in that direction. It begins to drip into her eyes from a cut of her forehead, blurring her vision.

Bridgette climbs over a pile of rubble, stumbling over the top and down the other side. She glances about and sees a black shape trying to scramble up the crater wall. She coughs, the dust and smoke irritating her throat and lungs.

"There's no use, silly kitten." she says, making her way towards Chat Noir. He stops trying to climb the wall, and turns around, pressing his back against the rock face. He scans the terrain for his staff to no avail. "We are completely and utterly stuck." she sneers.

"Back off, Bridgette." he growls, "I know you don't really want to do this." His hair is matted, dyed red with blood, and his bell is missing from his collar.

"Now why would you say that?" Bridgette lunges forward, pinning him against the wall with her forearm at his throat. His shoulders slump and he grimaces in pain. She smiles and applies even more pressure.

* * *

Chat Blanc rolls across the ground, landing on his back in the middle of the street. "That wasn't very ladylike." he mewls.

Ladybug stands precariously on her injured leg. "You didn't leave me many options." Her yo-yo hangs loosely by her side.

He pushes himself off the ground and wipes at the blood on his face, smearing it along his forearm, "Well if that's what you want, it doesn't get better than this."

"What are _you_ getting at?" she glares.

"LOOK AT ME! I'M WEAPONLESS! DEFENSELESS! There aren't many more options than what is in front of you right now." he spits, "So whatcha gonna do, Purrincess?"

"Silly kitty, there is only one option." she chuckles slightly.

"Then show your cards." Chat Blanc sneers.

"Lucky Charm!"

"Is that a billiard stick?" he laughs, throwing his head back, "What the hell are you going to do with that? Are we going to have a tournament?"

Her eyes dart everywhere and finally settle on Chat Blanc, "I have an idea or two."

"And what might that entail?" He quirks his head to the side.

"Take off your belt." Chat Blanc hisses and lunges towards Ladybug's legs. She stumbles out of the way and falls hard on her back. She rolls over and pushes herself into a sitting position, her billard stick gripped tightly in her hand.

Suddenly her head is yanked backward, "Alrighty then, its time for me to play my trump card." He sneers wickedly and raises his hand.

Ladybug grunts and swings her billard stick upward and whacks Chat Blanc in the head, breaking the stick into two halves. He groans and crumples to the ground unconcious.

"Well, that works." She manages to stand on her injured leg and retrieves the cat's belt and ring, threading the akuma carefully onto the string of her yo-yo and securing it with a knot. She stumbles across the broken concrete and grabs the other half of the pool stick, tying both pieces together with the white belt.

"Now let's go save Kitty." She turns and stumbles towards the still smoking crater, yelling for Chat Noir.

* * *

"CHAT NOIR! WHERE ARE YOU?"

He struggles to shove Black Bug away but to no avail. She grins and reaches for her yo-yo, "Playtime's over, kitten, how about a nice long catnap?"

"Sale Cafard!" He presses his hands against the wall and shoves himself off, head-butting her in the process.

Black Bug falls to the ground, dazed, dropping her yo-yo in the process. Chat Noir lunges and snags the weapon off the ground, the barbed wire cord cutting his hands.

"I'd rather not end up in purrrgatory!" He turns and faces Black Bug, swinging the yo-yo haphazardly above his head.

Black Bug stumbles to her feet, fists clenched tightly. "You're so punny, kitty!"

She runs and slides along the broken ground, slipping between Adrien's legs. She latches onto his ankle, using her momentum to flip up, onto his back and attempts to snatch the weapon out of his hands. She plants her feet against his back, tugging at the cord fiercely.

Adrien drops onto the ground, beginning losing his grip on the yo-yo, he rolls underneath her and kicks out, landing a blow to Black Bugs stomach. She stumbles back, away from the black cat, giving him time to regain his stance.

"You know you fight pretty good-"

Black Bug runs forward, grabbing onto Adrien's neck and swinging herself up onto his shoulders. She wraps her legs around the scruff of his neck, leaning forward and causing him to fall forward onto his face, his forehead banging into the concrete.

"Considering you'll only be second best."

He yelps out in pain, dropping the yo-yo completely.

"Thank you kitty!" Black Bug says sweetly, leaning over and seizing the weapon quickly. She disentangles herself from the black cat and stands above him, swinging her yo-yo dangerously.

"CHAT NOIR! CAN YOU HEAR ME?" Ladybug yells, closer to the fight than before.

"WE ARE OVER HERE LADYBUG!" Black bug cackles,

Adrien attempts to push himself onto his elbows but Black Bug shoves his head back down with her foot, his skull cracking against the pavement. The edges of his vision begin to blur, _No, not now. please. I can't blackout now._

"Oh don't quit on me that easy. I want her to see me take your miraculous, I want you to see her face when she realizes what a pathetic little kitten you really are." She leans down, yanking his hair in order to meet his darkening eyes.

"Chat!" He hears running and looks across. Ladybug is standing there, two sticks in her hand, tied together with a white belt. A white ring glints on the cord of her yo-yo.

"No!" Black Bug gasps, dropping Chat Noir,"How the hell did you get that stupid cat's ring!"

Adrien sputters,"The same way she's going to take your akuma." He glances over his shoulder at the older girl,"By kicking your ass!"

She growls at him and launches herself across the pavement towards Ladybug. Black Bug swings wildly with her yo-yo, aiming for her opponent's legs, but Ladybug sidesteps her, looping one end of her makeshift weapon through the other girls' arm. She tugs and catches the older girl by surprise, knocking her off her feet.

Ladybug spins and faces Black Bug, interlocking her two halves and twisting, tightening the weapon around the other girls' arm. Black Bug lashes out with her yo-yo, striking Ladybug in the face. She grunts in pain but remains steadfast, her nose slowing beginning to bleed.

"Chat Noir," Marinette murmurs, "I need your help." Black Bug lashes out once again, wrapping her weapon around Ladybugs' legs. She falls to the ground but maintains her grip on the other girls' arm, twisting her makeshift handles tighter.

Adrien shoves himself up onto his hands and knees, _Stay awake. You can do this. _He groans in pain but makes his way over to the stalemate.

Black Bug hisses and tries to move away from the approaching cat, kicking out in his general direction. He rolls slowly out of the way and comes up standing, his vision slipping in and out of focus.

"I WILL NOT LOSE HIM AGAIN!" shouts, twisting painfully against Ladybug's hold on her, she reels in her yo-yo and launches herself off the ground hoping to catch Marinette off-guard. Ladybug drops her grip and watches the girl dive through the air towards her partner.

And she stays in the air, ensnared between two barely standing light posts by Ladybug's yo-yo, "No!**"**

Ladybug wraps her string tightly around her wrist, keeping Blackbug firmly secured.

She tosses her makeshift weapon over toward Chat Noir, "Climb up and retrieve her akuma, it's not in her yo-yo so she must be wearing earrings or something. Tie your tail to one end off the billiard stick to extend the rope and toss the other end over the top cord. I wouldn't trust climbing up either light post."

"Anything for you M'Lady." he grins.

* * *

"WAKE UP YOU STUPID CAT!" screams Hawkmoth.

The yelling reverberates in Félix's skull, forcing him into consciousness. He groans and flops onto his back, coughing up more blood.

"Don't just lye there! Ladybug is about to destroy your akuma! DO SOMETHING!" Hawkmoth yells, pain washing through the white cats' body, crippling him even more.

"What can I do? I can't move, uncle, you've been defeated once again." He smiles and laughs to himself, coherent thoughts forming once again.

"Then I'll do it myself!"

"Do what? You've lost." s vision swims out of focus and his head throbs violently. _"What's happening to me? I can't see."_

"I'm not losing anymore."

Félix stumbles to his feet and hears yelling on his right side, "Chat Noir restrain her while I purify the akumas!" Ladybug says. His body turns toward the girl and lurches forward,

_Why can't I control myself!_

"I'm controlling you," Hawkmoth gloats," Did you really think all I could do was some little mind tricks, no, no, I have waited for far too long to have her back," He forces Chat Blanc to run, "I'M NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES THIS TIME!"

**"**M'lady watch out!" Adriens' voice rings out, clearly struggling to restrain Bridgette. The white cat whips around and stalks towards his cousin.

Adrien jerks backward, stumbling on the broken concrete. Black Bug struggles against him, not giving in. She leans forward trying to break his hold as the white cat stalks closer.

"Stop this. Please, uncle!" Félix whimpers, trying to fight the fog in his mind. He hears Ladybug yelling, purifying the akumas.

_Noo! _Hawkmoth roars.

Black Bug suddenly jerks her head back, smacking into Adrien's face. He shoves her away from him, tripping backward on the broken riverwalk. Félix lunges forward, sliding towards his cousin... and catches air.

* * *

He feels the dark power leave his body, causing him to drop to the ground as control returns. His knees scrape the concrete, no longer covered in broken shards.

Hands pull him in close, hugging him tightly, "It's going to be okay, Félix. " Bridgette whispers, "Everything is alright." She turns.

Félix opens his eyes, not trusting that his sight has fully returned but it has.

He wishes it hadn't ever come back.

Tears stream down Bridgette's cheeks as she stares at the river, silently sobbing. The two superheroes are nowhere to be found.


	17. Chapter 17

Hawkmoth felt the link break after seeing his son fall into the river.

"DARK WINGS FALL!" His hands formed fists and turned to Nooroo

"HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN!" He yelled accusing the Kwami.

He shrank in fear, "I-I'm sorry b-but I-I warned you master t-that controlling more than one wou-"

"ENOUGH I CAN'T LOSE HIM! HE'S ALL I HAVE LEFT!"

"s-sir I-"

"IF FÉLIX HAD NEVER RETURNED TO PARIS NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!" Nooroo goes to hide behind one of the steel beams.

"NATHALIE!"

She comes running in. She has never heard him like this before, "Yes sir?" she manages to keep her even tone but is definitely worried, more than usual.

"I want you searching every riverbank in France till you find my son." Going from pure rage to quiet furiousness was definitely something that sent chills down her and Nooroo's spine.

"Yes, sir." She picked up her phone to call Gorilla as she saw him sink to the floor.

He was on the floor sitting on his knees when she walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. 

"Do you think I'm going too far?"

"Sir?"

"There was a time when a wanted to erase the past. Make all of this never happen, but in doing so I would lose everything."

"The plan has changed then. Our new goal is just to bring your wife out of her coma. Adrien will still be Adrien."

"Yes, that is what I am worried about."

"He will be on your side when he learns."

"I can't lose him."

"You won't." She wished she could hug him and truly comfort him, but she knew she could never help fill the hole in his heart. Not the way she wished she could.

* * *

Félix woke up in Bridgette's arms. He was incredibly sore from the battle but when his vision came back looked up at her face and saw her sobbing, "What...happened after I...blacked out?"

She can't get the words out to tell him what she did. She held him slightly tighter and continued to sob on his shoulder.

He does his best to sit up and look at her. He had to push her back a little and gave her a very worried look.

He starts slowly going through what he knows, "All I remember...is Chat Noir falling in the river and...Ladybug going after him."

He starts looking around and sees the superheroes are nowhere to be found and is very scared now.

His eyes widened and thought the worst, "Bridgette...did I kill my cousin..."

"N-not y-you..." She is crying in her hands

"Don't worry it's not that easy to kill those two."

Both Félix and Bridgette whip their heads to see,

"Master Fu?"

* * *

Marinette washed up on river bank with Adrien a few miles downriver. She is more than exhausted from the fight and dragging Chat now Adrien out of the water. She hasn't looked at him directly after she saw the flash of green, but she glances out of the corner of her eye all she can see is the blond in his hair and vague colors of his clothes.

"Is he going to be ok?" She looks at the Kwamis

"He's totally not breathing."

"Plagg!" Tikki scolds him then looks to Mari, "Don't worry Marinette he's going to be fine." Tikki flys closer to her. "When our chosen are in dire peril we use our powers to keep them alive as long as we can."

Adrien rolls over and has a coughing fit getting the water out of his lungs.

"Marinette?" He looks at her and sees she is not looking back and is very stiff but it is soon turned to relieve.

"Oh thank God you're alive." She smiled but still isn't looking at him.

Adrien feeling almost dead saw an opportunity, "Death cannot stop true love, all it can do is delay it for a little while."

"Did you seriously just quote Princess Bride and-" She was about to turn her head but stops. 

"You know you want to turn your head."

"Maybe but I also still want to figure it out."

"Have it your way, can I ask you something?"

"Always."

"What happened when you were kidnapped?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I came in he had his hand on your throat."

"Oh..well I guess I may have antagonized him a bit."

"You what?"

"He told me he was the old Chat Noir and Tikki told me what happened with the ring and I got really pissed."

"And you thought it was a good idea to egg him on?"

"I never said it was a good idea, my feelings just got the better of me again. I was never really good at hiding them." 

"Yeah in hindsight it was really obvious you liked me." He chuckled lightly.

"What?"

"Can I at least help you figure this out it has been killing me."

"Ok fine you can give me some hints."

"Great, ok so how big of a hint would you like?"

"Start small."

"I am blond."

Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Ok didn't like that one how about we share common friends."

"Ok that helps a little bit but I still don't know."

"We go to the same school."

"Ok but it's kind of a big school."

"My name starts with an A." 

"There are a lot of guys who's names start with As."

"This is my biggest hint if you don't get this I may scream."

"There's no need to be that dramatic."

"Yes, there is." Tikki and Plagg said very monotoned.

"I am the guy you have plastered all over your walls."

She whips her head and sees him-"ADRIEN?!"

"FINALLY!" He did his infamous Chat grin and getting a kick out of her reaction.

"You-I-we you-me-" Her face is the same color as Tikki and eventually just blurts out, "I KISSED YOU!"

"Yes and I kissed you, My Lady." He's now laughing ignoring the pain in his chest.

"oh my God, I rejected you for you..." Her hands when to her face to hide her embarrassment.

"And I did the same I'd call us even...well kinda."

"What do you mean?"

"I think I'll tell you later when I'm not mostly dead." He laughed a little.

"How are you handling this so well."

"I did my freak out a while ago remember?"

"Oh right you knew, I almost forgot that."

They laid there for a few moments letting it all sink in then they heard a voice.

"Thank God," Félix slides down the bank to hug his cousin.

"Hey easy there almost dead here." He loosens his grip some and says, "I am so sorry for what happened I should've known this would've ending like-"

"It's ok I forgive you, just remember that there is always another way no one has to be akumasized."

"How right you are Adrien."

They all turned to see Master Fu and Bridgette at the top of the bank.

"Now I'm afraid we will need to cut this short. Everyone come with me back to my place before Hawkmoth gets here."

Félix helped Adrien to his feet again and were about to start heading to the top until they heard a car which caused everyone to freeze for a moment.

Master Fu motioned for them to hide as a woman exited the car and approached him and Bridgette.

"Excuse me have you seen Adrien around here?"

"No? Why did something happen to him?"

Mari, Adrien, and Félix were doing there best at hiding and trying to lay low.

Adrien wasn't really paying attention to what was happening above them and Mari was more concerned about Adrien, but Félix was listening as closely as he could.

"He fell into the river and we are searching for him so please contact the Agrest household if you hear anything."

She handed him a business card and he accepted it, "You too Miss," and handed another to Bridgette.

"We'll keep a lookout."

* * *

Now at Master Fu's, everyone was sitting in a circle discussing what to do next.

"We need to find Nooroo now more than ever seeing as Hawkmoth is able to control two people now." The master stated.

"Yeah, but we still don't know who he is or where, and Adrien and I have gotten pretty badly injured from the last few fights," Mari said still very exhausted.

Félix stated, "I know who Hawkmoth is." Everyone turns to look at him.

"How?" asked Master Fu.

"I recognized his voice. I don't remember what all I did as Chat Blanc, but I do know the voice I heard."

The mood was very serious and he had a very somber look on his face but Adrien still said, "That's great! We can finally put an end to this!" with a huge grin on his face.

Félix bit his lip unsure of how to start. Master Fu and Bridgette could tell this was not as good of news as it should be and they looked concerned. Marinette was just as confused as Adrien at their reactions.

Félix took a deep breath as said slightly under his breath, "It's Uncle."

There was a light gasp as the color drained from Adrien's and Mari's faces and the grin was replaced with horror, "What?"

"It's your father Adrien."


	18. Chapter 18

Adrien is in pure shock.

Yes Ladybug had mentioned it a while ago but he never thought it could be true..well at least he hoped so.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and could hear people talking but the words weren't quite getting through.

_Father...why..._

He then feels a tear rolling down his cheeks and a weight pressed against him.

"Adrien..." He turned his head to see Marinette her eyes were glossed over and she was hugging him.

"We can get through this. You can get through this. We can help and will."

"...I just..." His thoughts are still going at the speed of light, "I just don't see why he would do this..."

Félix states somberly, "I don't know either, but we need to stop him," He starts slowly showing more anger, "He's my uncle and ever since Aunt Emilie passed away he's never been the same. He has made everyone's lives hell and now he's taking out everything on the innocent people of Paris I-"

"Félix!" Bridgette shouted over him grabbing his arm. Félix looks and sees his dear cousin in tears now clinging to Marinette.

"I'm sorry...just no else needs or should be akumatized...it's not a fun time."

Adrien is still holding on to Mari but he takes a few deep breaths and finally starts to calm down enough to form proper thoughts.

"Ok you're right we need to end this...we need a plan."

"Yes, Chat Noir we need a plan and a team." Master Fu says while sipping on his tea with Wayzz over his shoulder.

"A team?" Mari asks looking at the rest of the group as well as Fu.

"Yes, a team. You should not take on Hawkmoth alone. I will be giving you the miraculouses and you will form a team to help. We do not know how far he is willing to go and it's possible he may have also stollen the peacock miraculous."

"I see, well Nino, Alya, and Chloe have helped in the past-"

"But they were not enough last time, this time you will train as a team and work out plans. This is the final act."

"You have Félix and me this time." Bridgette states

Marinette smiled at her with Adrien leaning on her trying his best to look thankful.

"Adrien, Félix I suggest that you Marinette and Bridgette start recruiting, but be careful remember that Halkmoth knows who you are."

Adrien looks up at Mari, he is going to be hurting for a while but he knows he has to do this to finally bring an end to this madness.

The boys go look for Chloe and the girls go to find the others.

"Master are you sure this will work?"

"It has to Wayzz now go with the girls."

* * *

Adrien and Félix left with the bee and dragon miraculouses. Adrien had already changed to Chat Noir and had given the dragon miraculous to his cousin. Félix is in a red costume with black and gold detailing his hair now had black tips and his mask gave him horns.

They are on the roof of Chloe's penthouse.

"You ready for this?" Félix asks

"Not really but I have to be. Let's just hope that Chloe will take this seriously."

Fèlix seemed to suddenly realize which Chloe they were talking about. "Wait the mayor's daughter Chloe? The same Chloe that has always been a bi-"

Adrien stared at his cousin

"...brat?"

He sighed, "Yes that Chloe she's not as bad as before."

Fèlix rolled his eyes.

"Ok she is trying to be good she actually apologizes now."

Chloe then walked on the balcony on her phone taking selfies.

"Chloe!" Chat shouted down to her causing her to turn in shock.

"What are you doing here? The beacon isn't on and there's not an akuma?"

Félix chimed in "No we're going after-"

"And who are _you_?

"It's rude to interrupt but I am Vouivre and-"

"We know who Halkmoth is."

Chloe is in shock but Félix says, "What did I just say."

* * *

Master Fu had given Ladybug the fox, turtle, and snake miraculouses.

"Bridgette I think I know what miraculous to give you." She was looking at all of the miraculouses in her hand and picked up the teal bracelet.

"Thank you." She took the box and her kwami pops out. "Nice to meet you I am Sass your kwami."

"Nice to meet you, Sass. Now Sass SCALES SLITHER!" She transformed into her new costume.

It was a blue and black form-fitting suit; her hair was now in a bun with a teal ban with a scaled textured mask and blue snake eyes.

"Scales slither huh?"

"Look I am not the biggest fan of that one either but you know we can't pick out the words."

"Well let's go find Alya and Nino they're usually around here."

As luck would have it the couple had just turned the corner.

"Well that was easy," Bridgette stated looking slightly shocked.

Ladybug walked over to them with the boxes in her hand.

"Ladybug? What's wrong? And who's this?" Alya asked putting her phone away.

"This is-" Ladybug gestures to her for her name.

"Viper." She smiled

"We're getting together a team. We're going to take down Hawkmoth." She handed them their miraculouses and their Kwamis popped out.

"Dude..."

"What?"

"That's just a lot to take in."

"Nino you have fought him before like a few times," Alya said

"Well yeah I know but the way she said it, it sounds so endgame." 

"It has to be we know who he is and he knows who Chat Noir and I are." Ladybug stated firmly.


	19. Chapter 19

The newly assembled team is sitting around a circular table at Master Fu's. Everyone is transformed and Ladybug is going to brief everyone on the situation and discuss what the mission will entail.

"Ok so I don't really know where to start, so I'll just go to the main point." She looks at Chat Noir sitting on her right with a worried look. His expression is very dismal which is very unlike him but given the circumstances.

Ladybug takes a deep breath, "Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth." Chat Noir winces while Vouivre and Viper drop their heads.

The rest of the team is shocked and full of questions.

Queen Bee asks quite loudly, "There's NO WAY. I've known him since I was little. Are you sure?!"

"Unfortunately yes. F-Vouivre was akumatised and recognized the voice."

"That's hardly proof-"

"He didn't even try to deny it." Vouivre chimed it. "I was Chat Noir before the one before you I have had countless fights with him as Hawkmoth and in his civilian form...the pieces have only just come together."

"There is one more thing," Ladybug continued," he knows Chat's, Vouivre's, Viper's, and my identities. We are in great danger if we do not stop him now. He will target those close to us until he reaches whatever goal he wants. We understand if any of you do not want to take this risk."

"I am with you till the end Ladybug. I can't really speak for these two but this has been the most amazing and exciting opportunity I could have been given. No way am I leaving now." Rena Rouge declared.

"Same dude and with my best friend's dad being the bad guy I want to do what I can to help." Carapace said causing Chat to smile a little.

"Yeah I love Adrien and I don't want him to be in that kind of situation, he already lost his mom but there are times when friends make for a better family." This is probably the only time and everyone at that table has agreed with her completely.

"That being said can we know who you guys are now?" Chloe said causing everyone to give her a glare, "I'm just saying if Hawkmoth knows there's really no harm in us knowing."

This could be fun "Ok how about we let you guess," Félix starts, "while I really doubt any of you will guess me and Viper we will give you clues."

Now Ladybug and Chat Noir were glaring at him, "She's right you know, after this there really won't be any need for superheroes."

They thought about it for a while but decided to go with it. "Fine."

Ladybug starts the game, "I am a designer. I am in your class and Chloe and I don't normally get along."

The group of three converse with each other while the others overheard, "I don't know I've only recently tried being nice." from Chloe, then it hits them all like a brick.

"MARINETTE?!"

"Guilty." She waved at them with a smile.

"I knew you didn't get that buff by just moving flour," said Alya with a laugh.

Adrien took a breath, "Well guess it's my turn, I'm a model. I have a very full schedule against my will, and I have the best friends in the world."

Mari's smile was bittersweet. She decided she had to hug him and Nino is the first of them to realize.

"Dude." He walks over and also hugs him.

Then Chloe's eyes widened and she gasped. 

Alya cautiously walks to join the small group hug and everyone has tears in their eyes, "We're so sorry Adrien."

"It's not your fault. He kinda just...broke" The last part was difficult for him to say.

When the hug broke Mari held his hand not really knowing what else to do.

"WAIT A HOT SECOND!" Everyone whipped their heads to see Alya, "WHEN DID THIS BECOME A THING AND WHY DID I NOT KNOW?"

This caused the mood to lighten significantly as the two blushed profusely. "Umm well i-is it a thing? w-we only found o-out our identities t-today-"

"We have very different definitions of 'a thing' if we aren't." Chat said cutting off a shy Marinette and sounding closer to himself. "I mean I'm constantly flirting with you both as Chat and Adrien, I call you 'My Lady' and kiss your hand and like the first thing I do after regaining consciousness is say 'Death cannot stop true love.' If you still don't get the message I don't know what else to do."

He sighed while Mari was now a complete mess and Alya was laughing her ass off.

"Dude the stories I have of her trying to get your attention are priceless."

"Ok now that we have that covered what about you two?" Chloe said wanting to change the topic.

"Oh umm, I'm Adrien's cousin, previous Chat Noir, and was a complete ass." He said the last part glancing at his old partner.

"Félix?" Chloe guessed.

"How?"

"I've only heard him talk about one cousin before."

"Ah well, that makes sense. B-L-Viper your move."

"Well, I've never met any of you so I really don't think that's fair." She said glancing around the room, no one looked familiar or even sounded familiar. "I'll just tell you how's that?"

The group didn't have a problem with that. "My name is Bridgette. I was a previous Ladybug and now I'm trying to end this once and for all."

"Now that that is done we need to get back to the matter at hand." Master Fu said walking in the room.

"Yes, we need a game plan." Ladybug stated looking at her friends for any spark of an idea.

"Hey, can you use multiple 'Lucky Charms' yet?" Bridgette asked

"What?"

"Well, that answers that question. You two are younger than we were when we got the miraculous but it didn't take that long before we could use multiple of our powers."

"Are we sure it was our age though, cause we both had to grow up pretty fast compared to these guys too," Félix added.

"Both are a component. Using the miraculous power takes a physical toll on a person as well as mentally. The Kwami decides when you are ready."

Marinette thought on this she is pretty young still, but mentally she's seen Chat sacrifice himself for her countless times and the pressure of not winning the fight and really losing him is a lot, to say the least.

Chat wonders if he's ready. Young, yeah but he has risked his life for the greater good and Hell he's about to take on his own Father to save everyone.

"Ok let's review our powers at least and see what we're working with." Bridgette starts, "I have the power to reverse time. Not any more than five minutes though so-"

"Please shout very loudly and quickly if you're dying," Félix added earning a shove from Viper.

"I can immobilize," Chloe stated

"Create shields."

"Illusion."

"Destruction."

"Creation."

"I have a sword..."Félix adds causing people to give him confused looks, "Look I'm going to be perfectly honest I have no clue what it does. Longg didn't really say..."

Master Fu was giving him a look.

"Ok, so I transformed before they could tell me don't worry I'll figure it out."

"Well we know our powers or at least most of us," Ladybug started, "Does anyone here know what we're going to walk into?"

"Well Father is very strict on security, cameras are everywhere, and at night there are lasers that set off an alarm if tripped," Adrien said," but that's at my house, we don't really even know where his hideout is, and we have multiple safe houses in case of major emergencies."

"It's a start at least. Do you think anyone else knows he's Hawkmoth?" Alya asked.

"I doubt it the only person he would tell would be Nathalie, but I really don't think he told her, she's just his assistant to him."

"We need to find out where he is, does anyone here know how to hack perchance?" Mari asked looking to Alya.

"Sorry, I can create websites and do blogs but no clue how to hack anything," Alya said as Mari sighed.

"Wait what about Max?" Nino excitedly asked, "He's crazy smart and created his own robot."

"It's worth a shot who has his number?"

She gets his number and calls him at first he doesn't pick up but by the 4th try he picks up.

"Hello?"

"Max this is Ladybug. I need to ask you something."

"Oh ok?"

"Are you able to hack into security systems by chance?"

"I-I've dabbled in it? Why?"

"This is going to sound weird but I need you to hack into Gabriel Agreste's security system."

"What?"

"We have reason to believe that he is Hawkmoth, for your safety please don't tell anyone."

"O-ok, Umm I can probably get into the system in a few hours? Maybe longer."

"That's fine we need to know where he is and where his hideout is."

"Got it Ladybug, but how do I call you back when I figure it out?"

"Did this number not show up?"

"No, it just said 'Unknown."

"Oh, one sec." She turns to talk to the guys, "How can he call me back?"

Master Fu hands her a slip of paper with his number on it.

"Ok, you can reach me back at this number," As she reads out the number to Max, Adrien is looking at Alya and Nino. They look so happy together, he hopes he and Mari can be like that one day. He's happy everyone is here it kind of takes his mind off of it all.

"Ok guys he said he'll call us back when he's in the system in the meantime what else should we discuss?"

"I have a question where are we going to go now?" Chloe asked with a raised hand.

"What do you mean?" Mari asked.

"Like is it safe for us to go back to our houses or do we need to stay hidden until this mess blows over?"

"Oh yeah uh Master Fu what do you think?"

"Chloe's identity is known so I think she needs to stay as for Rena Rouge and Carapace it is up to them."

Chloe nodded as the other two discussed what to do.

"I will start preparing the rooms I don't care who sleeps where but please keep things PG." Master Fu said, smirking as he left the room.

This caused all of the young teammates to blush out of embarrassment, but the other two just laughed.

"I don't remember the last time I heard that man joke," Félix said.

"Well, it has been a few years since we've seen him." Bridgette laughed.

"We're going to stay," Alya starts, "We need to be on guard until we finish this."

"Ok then, looks like we should decide who's sleeping where," Adrien said glancing at Mari only to see her staring back at him, causing to blush beneath his mask.

They decided on girls in one room, boys in the other, mostly because Chloe didn't want to be in a room with a couple and have to hear whatever chessy mess they would say.

They were all still in they're day clothes however, Nino refused to sleep in jeans so now everyone knows he has a pair of Rena Rouge boxers.

There were air mattresses laid out on the floor, three to a room.

"Well, I guess me and Alya are sharing," Mari said looking at the others.

"I'm cool with that, besides I at least know you don't move in your sleep." She laughed and headed to the bed.

After about half an hour everyone fell asleep, with the exception of Marinette.

She just staring at the ceiling she just doesn't know what to think of it all. She decides she needs to walk around. She wanders back to the area where they discussed the mission, then to the room that held the other miraculouses, and finally to the kitchen.

She decided to make some tea in hopes of calming herself down. She sits on the floor and starts to drink until she heard footsteps in the hall.

The lights turned on and nearly blind her. She winces and spills some of her tea on herself.

"Ow!" She whispered yelled.

"Oh sorry didn't know anyone was in here," Adrien said as he knelt down to check on her hand.

"It's fine, just spilled tea." She looks up at him and notices he's giving her an odd look, "What?"

"I-I've just never seen you with your hair down." He states shyly putting a hand behind his head.

"Oh." She looks down for a moment and stares at his hand still on hers, and the memory of him defining a "thing" popped in her head. To which she blushed more.

He lets go of her hand and sits beside her, "So can't sleep?" He asks trying to start a conversation.

"Not really you?"

"No, what's keeping you up?"

"Everything. You, your dad, this ankle, my parents, our friends, I'm just worried I guess."

"That's pretty fair though. We are about to battle Hawkmoth, I keep trying to put myself in his shoes like what would I do if I lost the love of my life. And to be honest I don't know if I would go this far or not..." Adrien now is staring a nothing he's not really wanting to think about that, he never wants to lose Marinette.

"Adrien," She touches his shoulder, "You're not your father, even right now when you're in this much pain you are trying to talk it out and work through it. You care about your friends and what happens to them. You want what's best for everyone. You are open about your feelings."

He lifts his hand and places it on her's, "Thank you for trying to help, but it's just my father wasn't always like this. It was a long time ago but when my Mom was alive, he was a better person. He spent time with us and wanted the best for us. He was open to my Mom about everything it seemed, but when she died he just shut everyone out. I honestly don't remember seeing him smile after the funeral."

She thought about this and tried to imagine a happy Gabriel, she couldn't. But she could see a very sad Adrien and that she just couldn't stand.

"I haven't really lost anyone like that in my life, but I do know that grief affects everyone differently. One person can be sad but is able to live on, while another can be completely overcome with it and doesn't really ever see past that. But I do know how grief affects me." She looks to Adrien who is staring at the floor.

"Adrien," He turns to look at her, "I have almost lost you so many times. The first time it happened I didn't know if Miraculous Ladybug would bring you back." Tears started to form in her eyes, "But I had to keep going and save the city it wasn't until after that I balled my eyes out. My mind kept thinking 'what if' this and that and I had to keep reminding myself that you're still around. I still was a mess the next day. I didn't want to do anything but I still had to because it needed to be done; I still had to be Ladybug the next day."

"I-I didn't know..."

"I didn't want you to." She took a couple of deep breaths, "What I'm trying to say is that grief is a hell of a thing, but sometimes we need to muster through it and really grieve later."

He hugs her tightly and she feels her shoulder become damp but she just hugs him back in an attempt to comfort him. "It will be ok. We can get through this."


	20. Chapter 20

The next day the team with their Kwamis woke up fairly early to find their leaders on the kitchen floor using each other as pillows with Tikki and Plagg on their heads. Alya, of course, took a picture.

"Should we wake them up?" Nino whispered to the group.

"Nah they've been through a lot they could use some sleep," Bridgette whispered back. The two started to stir on the floor so everyone decided to head to another room.

"Ok so as far as we know Max hasn't cracked the system yet so what should we do?" Nino askes.

"Training is always an option, plus I need to figure out the sword," Félix stated as a red Kwami glared at him.

"I would've told you if you had listened."

"You were about to go into the _entire_ history of the thing. We don't exactly have time for that."

"One always has time for histo-"

"Longg BRING THE STORM!"

"Hey! wHAooo-"

The group was staring at him.

"What? He was going to do it again."

Sass and Wayzz exchanged glances that seemed to be saying something along the lines of _"thank god ours listen."_

"Training actually doesn't sound like a bad idea but we would have to practice inside the house so we don't give away our position," Bridgette stated.

"Yeah fair point what should we do?" Asked Alya

"Well, one thing that helped me be able to use my powers multiple times was building up the stamina outside of the costume. But since Félix and I have new Kwamis I think we should work on using and testing our new abilities."

"Wait so you want us to actually _work out_ this early in the morning?" Chloe posed finally awake enough to talk.

"Yes, welcome to the superhero life where you have to be ready around the clock no matter what cause if you aren't people can die because you weren't there." Bridgette said suddenly like a drill sergeant.

"Nice to see you still know how to do that..." Félix said remembering all those times he got scolded for fooling around.

"What can I say my Mom was military." The group made an ahh sound as if all the pieces finally fit.

Chloe still had a stunned look on her face from someone actually talking to her that way.

"Ok so, me and you train and the kids work on their stamina"

She nodded and they headed off.

"...so how do we build stamina?" Nino asked shyly

"We work out let's warm-up," Alya stated getting pumped

"You two have fun I am not doing that," Chloe stated.

"Chloe we need to do this we are going to be going up against Hawkmoth and who knows what he's already planing."

"So?"

"Chloe someone can die-"

"Ladybug can reverse it all after we win."

"NOT IF SHE DIES!"

"Wha..."

"Chloe we don't know what can happen you need to grow up and get in your head that people can die and if we aren't ready, and we can too." Alya has tears in her eyes with her Kwami trying to hug her arm. Nino put his arm around his girlfriend and looked to Chloe.

"Look you don't have to like it but Alya is right we need to train for the worst."

"Fine where do we start?"

* * *

Bridgette and Félix were in the girls' bedroom and had moved the mattresses to make a small sparing area.

"So how out of practice are you really?" Bridgette asks while stretching already transformed into Viper.

"Physically? Not too bad I still practiced fencing and did some light workouts but am I ready to hop off of buildings and run for blocks until catching the bad guy? Not really." He said inspecting his sword.

"Yeah I know what you mean it's been a while but the miraculous does boost our strength at least so it's not that bad."

"True. Hey do you think I could test something out real quick?"

She raised her eyebrow but said, "Sure."

"WIND DRAGON" He turned into the wind and all Bridgette could see was something steam like moving around her. It lasted maybe 30 seconds. He transformed back only to be a couple inches away from her causing her to jump back.

"AHH! Félix what th-"

"Sorry I thought I was farther away than that." He rubbed the back of his head then looked down and noticed that the glowing on his chest was slightly dimmer. "Well, I guess I get three tries before the timer starts."

"...Did you actually just turn into the Air?"

"I guess, so does that mean I turn into all the elements? ...Am I the Avatar?"

Bridgette shook her head and tried not to laugh. Tried.

"Unfortunately I only see three elements on your chest and-"

"Wait you can actually tell what they are?"

"Yeah and for someone who hates being interrupted you sure do that a lot."

"Can you tell me what they are please I just got lucky with the wind thing."

She rubbed her temples but told him, "Ok so the cloud thing is wind, the water drop is, get this, water and the zigzag is, shocker, lighting."

"...Was that a pun-"

"We need to start actually training let's spare." She said quickly getting into a fighting stance.

He shrugged and followed her lead. She attacked first going to kick one of his legs out but he managed to spin and kick her away instead.

She stumbled a little, "Still have those reflexes I see." She smirked

"You could say they're almost _cat-like._" He came running at her with his sword drawn only for her to jump back from the wall flipping over him.

"And you haven't lost your touch either I see." He turned around facing her.

"Somethings just don't change I guess." This time they both charged at each other. She managed to disarm him fairly easily by taking his arm and twisting it behind him to make his hand open. She had just tossed his weapon out of reach when his other arm grabbed her and threw them both to the ground.

"Well well, should we say I won?" He said looking down and smirking.

"I wouldn't say that." She kicked his stomach and got out from under him.

"Ow, that was cheating." He was glaring at her clutching his abdomen.

"You think Hawkmoth will go easy on you?"

"Well in that case," he rolled for his weapon and said, "WATER DRAGON!" Water started to flood the room with a strong current punching her towards the edge of the room. The water was getting high and she was perfectly stuck. She kept looking at the water hoping to find some sort of irregularity, but to no avail. She was starting to reach for her bracelet when she noticed the water going down and Félix standing once again very close to her but this time holding her in place.

"Still want to continue this?" She was backed up against a wall and in normal situations, she would've called it but in this case.

"Sure let's say I won." Before he could get another word out she kissed him and said, "Second Chance."

She appeared in a similar stance and at first wondered if she had said the phrase wrong but with a quick assessment of Félix's chest she had confirmed it worked.

"I am so sorry I didn't realize I was that close." He said backing away.

"I won." She smiled

"What?"

"We just spared and I won. Really who knew you would get so distracted over a little peck."

"What?!" His face was very red and very confused.

"Technically you were the one who started it constantly pinning me on the floor or wall I mean really." She teased. It was so interesting to her how different he can be when he's just talking verses when he fights.

"You cheated and went back in time!" He said trying to be mad.

"Duh I kinda had to?"

"You're never gonna let me win huh?" He said lightheartedly while raising his arms to spare.

"Where's the fun in that?" She smiled and took a similar stance

* * *

"Chloe it's just a pushup you can do it!" Alya said watching Chloe's arms shake at just holding her weight.

"If it's so easy then why don't you do it." She glared

"Ok, no problem." She went down on the floor beside her and started. "See it's not so bad."

"What about what he's doing that looks way easier." She looked to Nino doing rapid pullups.

Alya stopped to look, "The only reason that looks easy is cause he does them like every day..."

Nino let go of the bar he was on and turned to them, "If you're having so much trouble Chloe you can use your knees."

"What?"

"Like this." He got on the ground with his hands propping him up and his knees on the ground, "It's a lot easier this way and you're working with like half the weight,"

She tried on her knees and managed to get...one...

The couple looked at her in utter disbelief

Trying to make her feel a little more encouraged about this whole thing Alya suggests that they try ab workouts.

After some time it really hits them just how much she does nothing.

"Chloe it's A crunch, not even a situp how do you get out of bed are you ok?"

"Is there anything athletic you can do," Nino asks in the most polite way he could think of.

"I guess I'm ok at running, and I'm kinda flexible." She says a little embarrassed about the whole thing.

"Ok then let's try some jogging in place for a bit see how far we can go."

They start jogging and maybe five minutes later Alya sits out earning an odd look from Nino

"Look you can ask me to do just about anything else but if I have no adrenaline pumping through me then running is not for me."

"Fair I can't balance very good so I need to work on that at some point," Nino said hoping to not make her feel bad about sitting out.

They jog some more and now Nino is starting to get tired. "Hey let's make sure not to push ourselves too hard we may have to fight soon."

"Oh I'm fine you can stop if you need to." She said and truth be told she wasn't breathing heavily and her face wasn't flushed.

Nino stopped and stared at her, "We've been doing this for about 15 minutes how are you-"

"I played badminton, lots of running." She said as her ponytail swished to and fro

"Ok well, I think it's safe to say that 15 minutes is enough running want to check on the others?"

"Sure" They walked around the house until they found Mari and Adrien staring into a room.

"Oh you guys are up how's-" Nino was cut off by both of them shhing.

The three looking into the room the two were staring and saw Bridgette and Félix rolling around the floor trying to keep the other pinned.

"Will you just stop already!" Félix yelled.

"Never!" She yelled back rolling over to pin him.

"Should we let them keep going?" Chloe asked.

"I don't see why not, "Sass said looking at the others, " They're the ones who wanted to 'even the field."

"How long has this actually been going on?" Marinette whispered.

"I lost count after 500 in all fairness. If I had to guess I'd say somewhere around 800."

"783 times and you still think I won't win?!" She grabbed his arm and flung him over her shoulder.

He hit the ground fairly hard but kicked her legs out, "You only won cause you could time travel!" 

"Like strategy has nothing to do with it!" She also goes for a kick but he grabs her leg and pins her again.

"And what strategy are you playing now?" He is on top of her face to face smirking.

"This," She kissed him again and he froze which meant she could roll out from underneath him. "At least you'll remember that one." She stood triumphant.

The onlookers were very surprised by the event that just took place and so was Félix, "Do I want to know how many times?"

"That I won or that I kissed you?"

He glared at her and she giggled.

"784."

Alya whistled in amazement and now Félix and Bridgette realized they had an audience. Both felt a blush creep to their faces but Félix just laid on the ground with his hands covering his face and Bridgette smiled.


	21. Chapter 21

Gabriel was in his secret garden talking to his nonresponsive wife.

"Don't worry Emilie we will get you back. Once Adrien sees he will be on our side." He looked at his wife. He misses her more than anything in the world.

"Sir, I have some news on Adrien," Natalie said gently as she came into the garden.

"Yes?"

"He was spotted with a new Miraculous holder and with Chloe."

"So they are forming a little team then."

"It would appear so."

"Were you able to track down their hideout?"

"Unfortunately no sir, our cameras lost them." She suddenly became a little more relaxed and spoke again, "Gabriel, you know I am willing to help you in this fight."

"If you are talking about using the peacock miraculous again you know my answer."

"But we can form an army we can-"

"NO! I AM NOT LOSING ANYONE ELSE!"

She looked at Emilie in her glass coffin, _he is doing this for her...he loves her..._

She took a deep breath, "Like it or not I am here to help, and we need a plan for when they do come."

Her composure always shocked him. She had seen him at his absolute worst and still decided to help him.

"The last time you wore that you were bedridden for a month."

"Adrien deserves his Mother back."

He sighed and looked back at his wife, "I suppose you are right. Is there anything else we know?"

"There seems to be a hacker on their team trying to bypass our security. We are doing our best to keep them out."

"Hmm, let them, or at least let them think they did. We should let the kids feel like they have an upper hand."

"Very well sir, and what about Adrien?"

"We will get him on our side obviously. We will have to separate him from the others of course."

"How do we do that?"

"We will just have to place a few traps for them here and there and pick them off one by one."

"Do you already have a plan in mind?"

"Let's just say I might be able to get both Adrien and Félix to side with us."

* * *

Back with the team, they were all doing their own things.

Félix and Bridgette were still getting used to their miraculouses. Alya, Nino, and Chloe were still training. Marinette and Adrien were sitting at the table with him trying to wrap his head around this mess.

"I knew he wasn't father of the year but to become a supervillain is a leap."

"I can't imagine how you feel but I will always be by your side. You can talk to me."

"Thanks, I just wish I knew the reason behind all this. He wouldn't do this just for the sake of being in control.

"Adrien has there ever been something that caused a drastic change? Like something that would cause someone to just-" She didn't really know what she was trying to say. She didn't want to imply that there was something wrong with his father, even though there clearly is. It's just a hard subject to talk about.

"Well, he's never been the same after Mom died. And I can get why. They really loved each other and we were all so happy, but it's not like he can get her back so-"

"Wait," She grabbed his arm and had a very worried look on her face, "Did Master Fu or I ever tell you what can happen if Hawkmoth gets our miraculouses?" Mari asked very wide-eyed.

"No?"

She took a deep breath, "So with the Ladybug and Chat miraculous someone can wish for whatever they want in the world, but at a cost."

"Ok?"

"So let's say hypothetically he wished for your mom back, someone else would take her place."

"So equivalent exchange."

"What?"

"Ok, when this is all over, we need to watch Fullmetal Alchemist."

"I have to be honest you're taking this pretty well..."

He shrugged, "I don't know pretty sure I'm not actually getting this and am just suppressing all this until later, but I guess it kinda makes sense. Guy loses the love of his life suddenly and becomes hellbent on getting her back, I can't say what I would do in that situation." He suddenly felt distant from everything.

"Adrien..."

Hearing her helps. She is really is one light in this life and while she was helping... He knew he would need serious help after.

"Yeah..." He put his head down on the table, suddenly memories of his mother filled his head along with his father. They used to be happy, "I miss when we were all together."

Mari put her arm around him and hugged, "I'm so sorry." She knew it wasn't really enough but she also doesn't know what else she can do at this moment.

He lifted his head and turned it to her, "But as much as I would love us all together again, I don't think I can handle losing her again."

She wiped a tear from his cheek as he continued, "I went through that once. Dad may not have to see her die again but I would. I would have to see both of them die."

Tears really started to flow down his face as Mari did her best to comfort him, "Adrien it's ok to be sad, let it out."

He did cry for a while, she couldn't blame him it's a lot to process and she honestly can't imagine what it's like.

He suddenly stiffened then asked, "Did we ever find out who Myura was?" his voice sounded shaky.

"No, why?"

"She would have to be close to Hawkmoth right?"

"I suppose. Adrien what are-"

"If he brought Nathalie into this I swear." He suddenly sounded very angry. It honestly scared her.

"Adrien it's ok we haven't even seen Myura in a long time or any amoks. Plus Natalie has a good head on her shoulders, I don't think she would do something like this just cause Hawkmoth is technically her boss."

"I hope you're right...for his sake." Marinette gave him a quizzical look

"Nat was there for me when my father wasn't. She was the one to help with homework. She made time for me to hang out with my friends. She's the one I go to for basically all life advice. Hell, she's the one who gave me the "talk." If he pulled her into this mess I will-"

At that point, Marinette shifted to his lap and pulled him into a tight embrace. It cut off his train of thought. He melted in her arms and let the warmth consume him and wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"You seemed to need it."

They stayed like that for a while and in silence. Adrien found that this was by far the best way to destress but then he noticed Mari shaking slightly.

"Are you ok?" His voice was filled with concern.

"I-uh yeah-well..."

"What's wrong?"

"It's just..." She took a deep breath. "you got really mad."

"Oh well yeah, I guess I did."

"and that kind of scared me... I guess..." She was very soft-spoken almost a whisper.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you and-"

"Wait no you have every right to be mad about this. I just never saw you get that angry before." She said hurriedly.

"Ah..." It does take a lot for him to show his anger. Though the one way to get him angry the quickest is to hurt someone he cares about which brought up another memory.

"Do you remember Lila?"

"Of course I do. I thank God every day that she actually left the country."

"Well remember when she got you kicked out of school, then she got you back in."

"Yeah?"

"That was me. I may or may not have gotten mad at her."

"What?"

"And I also may or may not be the reason she is in the States at the moment."

"WHAT?"

"It was actually pretty easy to do. Just had to call Chloe's mom and introduce them."

"Well I thought it was impossible to love you more but here we are." She lightly laughed.

"...You love me?" He was blushing.

She was wide-eyed again. She couldn't tell if he was just poking fun at her or if he was serious, "I-um err uh yes?"

He laughed, "I love you too." He cupped her face and slowly and gently kissed her.

She smiled into the kiss and put her arms around his neck. But of course that the moment when Félix decides to walk in.

"Am I interrupting?"

"Yes."


End file.
